An Englishman in Moscow by Kazimir Malevich’s is a mishmash of words and symbols telling of the journey of a British man through the capital of Russia.

Many things happen when you travel from one country to another. Weird things. Exciting things. Memorable things. So, if a fish and a spoon ever crossed paths with you while you’re trekking through foreign countries, you’d be sure to remember it. This is the scene in An Englishman in Moscow. Many objects pass the journeying Englishman. At first view, the sheer amount of objects is sure to daze you. On closer inspection, they’re more like clues…

Malevich inserted many of his political beliefs in the painting. The white fish concealing the man’s eye symbolizes Christianity. The shining sabre there has a motive. The blade contrasts with the white fish, showing a contrast between church and state, something that was ever present in Malevich’s mind. Undoubtedly, the idea of the separation between church and state was on the mind of many people in Russia. The country was involved in the WW1, and dissonance against the royal establishment was ever present. It would only be a couple of years before the Russian royal family was toppled from the position of leadership, leaving the country in the hands of the revolutionaries.

As a symbol of Futurist demonstrations, Malevich and his buddy, the artist Aleksei Morgunov, would paint wooden spoons red and have them tacked to their lapels. Malevich was sure to paint in An Englishman in Moscow a red spoon to symbolize Russian Futurists. However, it’s said that the red spoon is also a symbol of the Holy Communion. By using a spoon, bread and wine were fed to the worshipper. Another link in this visual riddle between the traditions of the church and organizations with other interests.

There’s so much obscurity around the painting, with no cemented answers. There is, however, no doubt this gent’ is an Englishman. Just check out that top hat. Very fashionable indeed. The portrait is said to be a critique of the poet Alexie Kruchenykh. Fellow poet Velimir Khlebnikov mocked Kruchenykh, describing him as ‘a little London ghost.” Burn!