Rock (Membership Card for the New Artists' Association Munich) [Felsen (Mitgliedskarte für die Neue Künstlervereinigung München)]

The work Rock (Membership Card for the New Artists' Association Munich) [Felsen (Mitgliedskarte für die Neue Künstlervereinigung München)] was created by Vasily Kandinsky in 1908. This specific print, executed as a powerful woodcut, served a vital institutional function: the official membership card for the newly formed Neue Künstlervereinigung München (N.K.V.M.). The foundation of the N.K.V.M. in the period (1908-1909) marked a pivotal shift for Kandinsky, accelerating his movement away from traditional representation toward the pure abstract forms that would define his later career.

Kandinsky employed the graphic directness inherent in the woodcut technique, utilizing bold outlines and deep contrast to depict a monolithic rock formation. The simple yet powerful structure suggests an ancient, natural presence, emphasizing strong spiritual and elemental imagery that preoccupied the artist during this period. Although produced in Munich, Kandinsky’s aesthetic sensibilities at the time were absorbing diverse influences. The stark black-and-white forms and compositional intensity demonstrate the artist's experimental use of primitive imagery and folklore motifs, characteristic of the transition into early Expressionism. This piece is significant as it captures the precise moment just before Kandinsky’s complete transition, still balancing recognizable figuration with expressive, near-autonomous lines.

The print represents a critical chapter in modern art history, symbolizing the organizational catalyst that preceded the famed Der Blaue Reiter group. As a key example of Kandinsky's developing style and a foundational document of early Modernist collective activity, the work resides within the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The accessibility of prints from this pivotal era is often supported by cultural initiatives; high-resolution images of comparable works occasionally enter the public domain, ensuring global access to Kandinsky’s foundational compositions and mastery of the graphic arts.