Demystifying The Enigmatic World Of Abstract Art

From seemingly simple monochromatic paintings, to canvasses covered in streaks of colour, Abstract art defines the art of modern times, with free forms completely open to interpretation. Challenging the mind as well as the pre-existing notion that art must be a certain way, Abstract Art is a statement that continues to capture the imagination of art lovers.

Defining the Abstract

A style wherein the imagery departs from reality, Abstract Art depicts the subject of an artwork in a way that is only a representative of it’s true form. In simpler words, abstract artists depict their subjects with the use of shapes, colours and forms, instead of trying to replicate their realness. Abstract art led to the evolution of the idea of ‘Art for Art’s Sake’, where the process of creation and the concept behind an artwork takes precedence over the artwork itself, or the subjects being depicted. Abstract artworks vary in the degrees of their abstraction, with some being only slightly abstract (where the subject is still recognizable), to those which seem to be completely without any external frame of reference.

The Evolution of Abstract Art

The dominant style of art that existed in Europe until the late 1800’s followed the rules of Classical Realism, where it was all about imitating reality. Although some abstract elements did exist in art prior to the emergence of the Abstract art movement, artists in Europe began to consciously break away from Classical Realism, only towards the end of the 19th century. Impressionist artists like Monet and Renoir were among the first to experiment with abstraction, by playing with colour and form in their art to create ‘impressions’ of their subject, as opposed to exact replicas.

Art Movements like Fauvism and Cubism in the 20th century experimented with abstraction more actively, with Fauvists playing with the colour, and Cubists playing with the shape of the subjects depicted, thus distancing them from reality. The experiments of Russian Avant Garde artists and Italian Futurist artists also led to the evolution of this new art movement. The idea behind the experiments of the artists was to create art that could produce or represent an emotion with the use of colour and form alone.

It was around the time of World War I that Abstract art began to get recognized as a genre. Some of the pioneers of Abstract art include Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, who were among the first to create artworks that were completely abstract. The history of Abstract art after this point continued, with artists experimenting with form in pursuit of art that was ‘pure’, and completely free from external association and expectations.

The Sub-Types of Abstract Art

While a lot of non-representational art falls under Abstract, the genre itself includes many art-movements within it, that all have their own concept of understanding the idea of ‘abstraction’. Some of the most recognizable ones are (i) Geometrical Abstraction, identified by the geometrical shapes in the compositions, (ii) Neo-Plasticism, identified by black lines and blocks of primary colour on a mostly white canvas, (iii) Abstract Expressionism, where emotions took the forefront in the artwork, leading to powerful paintings such as Jackson Pollock’s Action Painting experiments and Mark Rothko’s Colour Field paintings, and (iv) Minimalism, with imagery that is simple and absolutely disconnected from the real world.

Indian Abstract Art

Developing an Appreciation

With the free-forms and ‘random’ appearance of some abstract artworks, the genre is often misunderstood. A common reaction to abstract painting is the phrase ‘I could have done that’. The truth, however, is that even though they appear simple in execution, they are often technically complex and deeply layered. Abstract artists are celebrated for their ingenuity and the concepts that their art represents (from the symbolic meanings to the total lack thereof). So, while we may think we could have created the scribbles of Cy Twombly or Raza’s geometrical Bindus, in reality, we probably couldn’t have imagined it!

Moreover, abstract artworks are often favoured by designers, as they blend easily into different spaces, be it living rooms or bedrooms, hotel lobbies, or corporate offices, adding character, depth colour, and drama to the surrounding.

#abstract #art #interiors

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