The origins of abstract art can rightly be attributed to the imagination of man. Abstract art is distinguishable from fantasy art, which makes imaginative characters and myths its subject. It is closer to reality as it reflects the real in figurative terms. In other words, abstract art depicts real forms in a simplified or rather reduced way, keeping the original subject the same.
Abstract art did not originate all of a sudden nor is it the outcome of the 20th century thinkers. In the Jewish and Islamic religion, depiction of human beings was banned. As such, they took recourse to all forms of decorative and non-figurative arts or calligraphy.
Wassily Kandinsky is regarded as the inventor of non-figurative art in the 20th century. Gradually, his paintings moved out of figurative subjects. In 1910, he created the first figurative work of art- a watercolor sans any reference to reality. Kandinsky not only became the first abstract artist, he also took pains to promote it as a theorist. After Kandinsky, it was the Russian painter, Kasimir Malewich, who took abstract art to the next level. Melewich’s paintings mostly focused on simple geometrical forms.
The landmark events in the mid-twentieth century changed the course of abstract art. The World War II, persecution of Jewish people by Hitler, and denunciation of modern art by the Nazis led to the immigration of hundreds of avant-garde European artists into the United States of America, especially New York. This created a new wave in the American art scenario prompting the birth of Abstract Expressionism.
Abstract expressionism is more a concept of performing art than a style. This movement stresses the trend of pushing the conventional boundaries beyond all limits. Some of the famous artists of this movement are Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko.
Currently, there are two primary segments of abstract art. One segment, known as Color Field Abstract Art, features unified blocks of color. Mark Rothko is one of the pioneers of this genre. The second segment includes multiple genres- Surrealism, Expressionism, Cubism, and Action painting. Regardless of all these influences, the core of abstract art paintings remains the capturing of the essence of the artist’s subconscious on canvas.
By: Suzanne
Posts Tagged ‘Abstract Expressionism’
Abstract Art: a Breakthrough in Artistic Expression
November 8th, 2009Modern Art Vs. Contemporary Art
November 2nd, 2009The success of a piece of art depends on how deftly it connects with the audience. If an artwork successfully communicates its message, it is considered to be a masterpiece. Some of the most artistic works of art began flowering in the 19th century till 1970. The flowering of modern art thus began in this era consequently leading the artists to move away from the traditional practices and emphasize more on portrayal of emotion on canvas. Post 1970, modern art preferred being called contemporary art. This includes any art that has been created after 1970 till the present age.
Modern art is not synonymous to contemporary art. The former encompasses only those works that have been created in the first half of the 20th century. Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism- they all form a part of modern art. Contemporary art, on the other hand, signifies those works done at the present time or in the very recent past. The best thing about today’s art is that it is bound by no rigid tradition and has the liberty to experiment with various styles.
Ever since the two world wars took place, there has been a surge of art movements- Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Post-modernism, Minimalism, and Feminist Art. The number of art movements has grown in numbers in recent times. It’s now common to come across avant-garde movements surfacing with new names every year. The one movement that created quite an uproar in recent times was that of Abstract Expressionism. The followers of this movement believed that art was created just to convey their own feelings and had no relation with the external world.
However, there is a section of people who does not consider modern art as art in the true sense of the term. Many people consider landscape and nature portrayals as the true art form. When modern and contemporary artists create something that challenges their imagination, they question the idea of their being an art.
As a matter of fact, abstract art needs proper understanding and intellect to decode its hidden meaning. Understanding the concept of the artist and appreciating the work on that basis lays the foundation for a successful modern art representation.
By: Suzanne
