“Counter Composition VI,” created by Theo van Doesburg in 1925 in Germany, is an abstract artwork belonging to the Neoplasticism movement. The artwork, measuring 50 x 50 cm, is housed in the Tate Modern, London, UK.
The artwork presents a minimalist composition characterized by an interplay of geometric forms confined within a square grid. Two prominent black diagonal bars intersect at different angles, dividing the canvas into schema of smaller triangular and quadrilateral sections. The background comprises a grid of thin lines, creating a sense of structured balance and rhythmic precision, quintessential elements of Neoplasticism. The stark contrast between the black bars and the white grid exemplifies Doesburg’s exploration of pure abstraction and the reduction of form and color to their essential components.
