Beyond the Black Square: the Ekphrastic Dialogue of Herbert with Malevich

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22456/2236-6385.144283

Abstract

This article seeks to propose a dialogue between the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert and the avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich. At the core of this reading lies the juxtaposition of Herbert's poem “Study of the Object” to Malevich’s work “Black Square on a White Background,” while simultaneously engaging in a discussion about the concept of ekphrasis and how an ekphrastic composition rereads what it verbalizes. Through a brief examination of the lives and works of these artists, this article aims to highlight how Herbert’s poetic vision not only engages with but also proposes alternatives to Malevich’s Suprematist ideas. In doing so, we see how reading Herbert offers a unique perspective on the limits of abstract art and objects.

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Author Biography

Guilherme Stadler Penteado, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR

Doutorando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras da Universidade Federal do Paraná, mestre em Estudos Literários pelo mesmo programa. E-mail: guistadler@gmail.com; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8388-8494.

Published

2025-06-07

How to Cite

PENTEADO, Guilherme Stadler. Beyond the Black Square: the Ekphrastic Dialogue of Herbert with Malevich. Cadernos do IL, [S. l.], n. 68, p. 130–150, 2025. DOI: 10.22456/2236-6385.144283. Disponível em: https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/cadernosdoil/article/view/144283. Acesso em: 22 aug. 2026.

Issue

Section

Artigos de estudos literários