Suprematism as a Non-Objective Language of Space: The Potential of Geometric Forms to Construct a Cosmic Imaginary
Chapter from the book:
Buçukoğlu,
S.
M.
(ed.)
2026.
Current Research in Graphic Design from an Academic Perspective - II .
Synopsis
At the turn of the twentieth century, avant-garde art movements profoundly challenged the notion of representation, thereby reshaping the ontological and epistemological grounds upon which art had traditionally been understood. In this context, Suprematism, developed by Kazimir Malevich, introduced a radical aesthetic paradigm that sought to liberate art from the object, narrative, and mimetic representation, advocating the “supremacy of pure feeling.” This study aims to examine how Suprematist thought can be re-functionalized within the context of space-themed illustrations. Today, outer space is represented not only as a field of scientific inquiry but also as a symbolic realm in which political utopias and narratives of technological progress are concentrated. However, such representations are predominantly constructed through photorealistic and narrative imagery, thereby marginalizing the abstract and conceptual dimensions of space. In contrast, the Suprematist approach considers space not as an environment to be depicted but as a conceptual domain structured through directional voids, tensions, and geometric relations. Employing a historical and theoretical methodology, this research discusses the position of illustration within graphic design, the ideological function of space imagery, and the spatial-philosophical capacity of Suprematism. Ultimately, the study argues that graphic design and illustration should be understood not merely as applied practices but also as fields of critical and intellectual production.
