abstract painting

Painting involves the use of color and texture judiciously to reproduce reality. It primarily evolved around the concept of “art for art’s sake”. Gradually however this concept was eroded and gave way to a new perspective -a new way of looking art-a view which felt that spirituality, rationality or intellectuality should be the aspects that govern art. This rather exciting prospect gave rise to abstract art and hence to abstract paintings.
 
The term “abstract painting” is akin to modernism in the sense that it encompasses within its purview a wide spectrum of art, but at the same time is not realistic enough to identify. This does not mean that abstract paintings do not have a concrete subject-it only means that that the subject is not easily identifiable. A figure, an object or just a landscape is stylized, exaggerated or simplified to such an extent that the details or contours are unlike those found in traditional paintings. What is more dominant is color, line and shapes used non-objectively and non-realistically. What comes through in the painting is the artist’s emotions and feelings rather than the replication of the object. The colors are vivid and bright and the unusual shapes are strange and at the same time alluring.
 
Color and brush stroke are salient features of an abstract painting, Through spontaneous expression, the artist creates a world of color and texture. The impression of depth and perception are spatially created and the viewer is swept into whirls and swirls of intangible curves and angular forms that depict nothing immediately recognizable.
 
Abstract paintings keep the viewers wondering all the time. They can never be dull, because there is a balance of visual elements and an eternal sense of incompleteness. There is certain dynamism in the painting and an energy that makes the painting speak in the author’s hues. The impact grows on you when you recognize the intricacies of strokes, the thickness of paint, and details of the composition. The delicate interweaving of the different parts, composed as it were separately is interesting and many a time arresting.

The art of abstract painting is not a new phenomenon. It began a long, long time ago and even Van Gogh and Picasso had some abstract paintings to their credit. The essence of all abstract paintings is the sense of liberation from the staid and traditional forms of painting. The freedom of expression is visible in the free flowing forms.

Abstract art was often referred to as “action art” in America. Within this conception of abstract art, abstract paintings differed considerably. Picasso, Cezanne and Braque focused on Cubism-----a way of depicting geometric figures not really seen in real life. Pollock’s abstract painting was of the ‘pour and drip” type where paint was generously poured on the canvas and allowed to take shapes according to the mood of the artist. Kooniong abstracted the female figure. The abstract paintings of Van Doesburg consisted only of vertical and horizontal lines combined with primary colors. Some art paintings reveal extraordinary energy with rough and bold strokes, while others can be refined, toned, passionate or sad. The only tools the artist uses to communicate his feelings are color, composition, line and shape. The artist works around artistic rules, sometimes abiding by and sometimes breaking the rules to achieve the effect he wants.

Abstract paintings have in common parlance “no content “ as such, and if there is absence of content, interpretation is logically not possible. We must however remember the fact that all abstract paintings have forms which are not immediately recognizable. It needs an open mind and open eyes to decipher the hidden forms. In that sense then Abstract paintings are as interpretable as traditional paintings. Regardless of their inaccuracy or novelty in depiction, these paintings have perspectives. What could be different is the difference in interpreting these perspectives.

The conscious or unconscious manifestations defy uniformity in understanding. The common denominator however is the approach to space, the harnessing of incidents during painting, the transference of poignant emotions on to the medium and the excitement and underlying energy that has a way of manifesting itself. The coloring is spontaneous and instinctive if somewhat unorthodox. The overtones of addition and subtraction, the attempt to modify color and strengthen lines maybe mystifying at first but abstract Paintings are not as abstract as they have been made out to be. You need spirit and energy to recognize the vivacious composition, you need to focus and spend time to encompass all that the paintings are trying to say.
 

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