Shape 2 Kandinsky Born in 1866 He was a painter and a pioneer of abstract art. He is known for his inventive use of colour, and for his representations of music through art. Kandinsky had a condition called synesthesia which allowed him to hear colours. Kandinsky is famous for his use of colour, using it to express emotions and scenes in a new way of looking at the world. He uses lines, shapes and angles to create paintings with energy.