Many people had objections when abstraction emerged as an art form. Traditionalists referred abstract paintings as vague and simply rubbish. How can unstructured patterns and spread-out colours be meaningful? The world of abstract art is as baffling and mysterious as its disoriented designs and liberated brush strokes.
My understanding of abstract art flourished more when I finally started to welcome the new ideas that state art doesn’t need to be bound by anything; not even the techniques and subject matter. I am not saying that the conventional or the traditional artworks were meaningless. In fact, themes that were centred on the depiction of religious epics, glorification of deities, and elite people of society were necessary for the kind of civilisation we were living in.
The commencement of Abstraction was just a revelation that past time span is over and a new era has begun. To understand abstract art definition, you require to accept the conceptualisation of traditional works and then let it go. Because if you cannot comprehend with what was art considered before, you simply cannot expect to truly get how abstraction is the biggest revolution in the art sector in the last 1000 years.
Try Google the meaning of word ‘abstract’. Google results define abstract as “existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence”.
This is quite understandable in literal terms when connected with artworks. Abstract artists like Pollock, Rothko, Picasso, etc were all quite expressive in their colours, techniques, and design methods. Although their paintings didn’t speak to us instantaneously, the artistry talent of these masters keeps the observers captivated until the latter gets the real trait. Abstraction, in reality, is the best thing that has happened to the art world and to artists.
Artists became free to imagine and harness that fiction on the canvas with colours and brushes. And these imaginations were not baseless. There was always some hidden meaning that could be peeled off slowly by observing the art pieces much intensely. When our brain encounters some unidentifiable object, our creative flair is boosted in our mind. That is why it is said that observing an abstract painting can really open up your mind to new ideas and thoughts.
The key
Since we have cleared somewhat on the abstract art definition, let’s now look at some of the aspects that play crucial roles in understanding these paintings. Because let’s be honest, doesn’t matter how much you read and write about abstraction, until unless you see a painting by yourself, you won’t get the true essence of this art form. And maybe then, you will get more confused. So, without delaying any further, let’s see how you can decode abstract art:
The time
Abstraction, as discussed, was about freeing art from the conventional ideas and themes, making it something new, fresh, and ambiguous. Something that doesn’t come out of objects related to real-life but from the mind of an artist who is trying to code it with non-uniform designs and carelessly thrown brush strokes. So, such sort of convoluted pieces cannot be understood if you don’t have time to devote in. Patience is the first key to understand abstract art. You have to give time to abstract painting to let it talk to you.
The elements
Abstract art definition is also about encouraging artists to come up with new techniques to design mesmerising and ecstatic designs. Artists creating these blissful works are mainly focused on dimensional figures like circles, lines, dots, etc. These are the elements that explain continuity in the disoriented or scattered visuals. Keep a close look at how marvellously artists emphasis these elements to make the painting not just a vague attempt to just throw brush on the canvas.
Artists’ expression
Some of the artists are quite flamboyant in their approach and their thought process are clearly expressed in their work. However, there are brilliant and fantastic artists like V.S. Gaitonde who are silent in approach but their work speaks more than anyone else’s. So, to understand a painting first read about the artist. Know what the artists’ vision is and how does art inspires him/her. This will offer you another helping hand.