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Many Different Views of Abstract Art by Artists Past and Present - Manhattan Arts
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Abstract Art: Many Shades And Hues
Visually different from figurative art, abstract art came in the early 20th century and used colours, lines, forms and shapes to create unseen compositions, with little or faint relation with the outside world.
It expanded upon the artist’s freedom of expression, imagination, inner turmoil, spirituality and spontaneity.
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Abstract Art: Contradictory Beliefs
Many historians and artists throughout the century have had contradictory opinions and beliefs about abstract art.
Some people find abstract art the true original expressions, and figurative art being a mere imitation of reality. Others call it a hidden reality, where traces of figurative art are removed and ‘abstracted’ to stoke the imagination.
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"“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterwards, you can remove all traces of reality.”"
Pablo Picasso
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Abstract Art: Dreams On Canvas
Abstract art is like an ignition key, cranking up our own inner world of imagination and unlimited possibilities. The image in abstract art is bait. The real magic is in the feeling the overall work of art produces out of the onlooker.
The formless forms of abstract art create inner sounds that evoke sensations and make the person enter the realm of the transcendental.
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Abstract Art: Throwing Out The Rules
Abstract art is a no-art art that does not have any rules.
The abstraction is a freeing concept that allows the artist to tap into their intuition, innovativeness and even inner darkness to spill out what is felt inside, creating multi-dimensional magic on canvas.
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Nature And Abstract Art
Nature in some ways is abstract, and a merging of art with nature puts the power of the elements, the sun, water, earth, moon, air and light into the ethereal paintings of imaginary new worlds and metaphorical concepts.
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Abstract Art: No Boundaries
The spontaneousness of abstract art makes the entire process a journey of self-discovery, where the artist does not know where the brush and canvas will take him.
The structure and openness of abstract art are conducive to unexpected twists, turns and tangents, transmogrifying the content into a moving, speaking piece of work.
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Abstract Art: Beyond The Limits Of Thought
Figurative art and conventional photography have a limitation of simply imitating or reproducing on canvas what is already existing in reality, and thus is constrained to an extent.
Abstract art is powerful as it transcends the limits of thought and provides unlimited possibilities to explore the many dimensions of human emotions, with each artist using a unique, visual language of lines and colour.
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Art doesn't have to be intimidating
Art is not only a great source of pleasure in our lives but can also further enrich and deepen our understanding of the world around us.
Developing a casual understanding of art is not that...
How to appreciate a painting through your senses
Art should appeal to you first through your senses. It should grab your eye in some way, such as its subject matter, its use of color, its realistic appearance, a visual joke, or any other factors.
Once you've gotten an overall look at the painting, ask yourself what the subject of the painting is. It might be a landscape, a person or group of people, a scene from a story, a building, an animal, etc. Some paintings will be abstract.
Focus on what a painting says to you
Look for symbols in paintings - something that means something else. Often a painting will include obvious symbols. For instance, skulls were often included in portraits of the wealthy to remind them that their wealth was worldly and ultimately meaningless.
Focus on what the work says to you, instead of trying to figure out what the artist meant.
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The Concept of Graffiti
Graffiti, or the practice of writing, drawing, painting or doodling on walls and other surfaces is as old as man himself, with prehistoric and ancient cave paintings of hunting scenes being the fir...
Modern Graffiti
- Contemporary graffiti dates back to 1967, arising from the Black and Latino communities in New York City, with the aerosol spray paint acting as a catalyst.
- The artists, known as taggers, used to ‘tag’ or paint in as many locations as possible, with the intention to ‘get up’, having maximum people see the art.
- Subway cars and trains became the next big thing to ‘tag’ with graffiti, as their mobile nature ensured that more people would see it. The giant artwork had a unique energy and aura while it moved, creating an effect that is not possible on a static wall.
NYC Graffiti Problem
In about a decade, the ‘vandalism’ of infrastructure and public property became a big problem in NYC, as it had a negative psychological effect on every citizen. The authorities put in measures to make it harder for the writers to hit their targets, but it just made the game more challenging and interesting for the artists.
Extreme steps were taken in 1984 to clear NYC of Subway car/train graffiti, and commuters had to face hardships, but the practice of street graffiti flourished in the coming decades.
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Why we like art
Art is most exciting when it creates states of psychological conflict, confusion, or dissonance.
While in other circumstances, such an onslaught might make us run a mile, with art, we ...
Visual indeterminacy
It occurs when we are presented with something that we don't immediately recognize. It creates a degree of cognitive dissonance that may be frustrating or even unpleasant.
For example, seeing a vague shape in the corner of a room that might be a cat or a bag. A second look is needed to satisfy our curiosity.
Color conflicts
Complementary colors lie opposite one another on the spectrum. For example, red complements blue, yellow complements violet.
When complementary colors are placed in close proximity, it is apt to cause conflict and disturb the eyes. Used subtly, it can make our eyes dance to a discordant tune.