To this day, Kazimir Malevich (1879 - 1935) remains one of the most radical and infl uential fi gures in modern art. Malevich lived and worked through a particularly turbulent period in twentiethcentury history. Having come of age in tsarist Russia, he witnessed the October Revolution and the rise of Socialism first-hand. His early experiments as a painter led him towards the cataclysmic invention of suprematism, a bold visual language of geometric shapes in stark colours, epitomised by the Black Square - an icon of modernity that changed the course of art forever. This lavishly illustrated publication sheds new light on Malevich's remarkable career, from his participation in the quest for a new society to his confrontation with the Stalinist regime. Groundbreaking essays by prominent curators and art historians explore every aspect of his output - from his early paintings of Russian landscapes, agricultural workers and religious scenes to his dramatic step into abstraction and his much-debated return to figurative painting in later life. The artist's collaborative involvement with architecture and design is investigated,as well as his temporary abandonment of painting in favour of teaching and writing. Malevich's work tells a fascinating story about the dream of a new social order, the successes and pitfalls of revolutionary ideals, and the power of art itself.