Mrs. Keyfitz's Art Blog

Art Inspiration, Discussion & Appreciation




Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrian (1942-43) What we learned- Mondrian abstracted an aerial view of New York’s Broadway to create this dance (or “boogie woogie”) of blocks and color. Mondrian only utilizes three colors in his artwork: red, blue and yellow (the primary colors), as black and white (which he also uses) are not technically colors (They’re achromatic!). The style which Mondrian pioneered is called neo-plasticism which means “the new plastic art” in which artists take real-life and synthesize it in such a way that it possesses a new artificial quality (which includes the blocky, primary colored shapes- think Legos!). Discussion Questions: Can you see the busy New York street scene?  What do you recognize? Why would Mondrian only choose to use three colors with which to paint? What feeling is the artist trying to convey with this work?

Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrian (1942-43)

What we learned-

  • Mondrian abstracted an aerial view of New York’s Broadway to create this dance (or “boogie woogie”) of blocks and color.
  • Mondrian only utilizes three colors in his artwork: red, blue and yellow (the primary colors), as black and white (which he also uses) are not technically colors (They’re achromatic!).
  • The style which Mondrian pioneered is called neo-plasticism which means “the new plastic art” in which artists take real-life and synthesize it in such a way that it possesses a new artificial quality (which includes the blocky, primary colored shapes- think Legos!).

Discussion Questions:

  1. Can you see the busy New York street scene?  What do you recognize?
  2. Why would Mondrian only choose to use three colors with which to paint?
  3. What feeling is the artist trying to convey with this work?