Greatest Examples Of Abstract Art example essay topic

There are generally two types of paintings- representational and abstract. While representational painting portrays recognizable objects, abstract painting does not look like a particular object. Instead, abstract art is made up of designs, shapes and colors. (web ) The meaning of abstract art is, in its most simplified form, art that relies on the emotions of the artist and the elements of design rather than exact representation. This broad definition allows artists almost unlimited freedom of expression. Some abstract artists create compositions that have no precedent in nature.

Other abstract artists work from nature and then interpret their subjects in a nonrepresentational manner. In other words, as found on Wikipedia by Answers. com, when abstract art represents the natural world, it "does so by capturing something of its immutable intrinsic qualities rather than by imitating its external appearance". (web) Historically, abstract art has existed for centuries, as Jewish and Islamic traditional forbids the use of representational art. (web art. asp) However, the roots of what we generally term "abstract art" can be traced to the Impressionism movement of the 1880's-1890's. Impressionism disregarded the notion that art was supposed to portray images. Post Impressionism continued this trend and placed more emphasis on the artist's emotions and expression. Wassily Kandinsky and Kashmir Malevich were the first to really create works that were pure abstraction. Kandinsky was the founder of the Abstraction movement and even published a book detailing his theories on art and spirituality, On the Spiritual in Art. (web art. asp) Kandinsky created a series of pieces with numbered titles beginning with, "Improvisation" and "Composition". (web) These works were studies in color and line, without an emphasis on representation.

While Kandinsky worked in Germany, Malevich spent much of his time in the Russian city of Vitebsk where he taught and founded the UNO VIS, which stood for "Affirmer's of the New Art" and was founded to promote "collectivity in the creative process" and create a new way of teaching and creating art. (web pages / Master%2005%20-%20. html) Many more abstract artists followed, each with an individual approach and vision. Abstract art. 20 m. com divides abstract art into 3 main classifications: Abstract Expressionism, Neoplasticism and Cubism. (web) Cubism focused on analyzing the subject using geometry. (web) Neoplastic ists believed that only horizontal and vertical lines with primary colors should be used in order to represent the "absolutes of life". (web) The spontaneous nature of Abstract Expressionism allowed the painter to show feeling and personality. (web) Examples of each of these classifications can be found at the links provided. Art is important to us because it reaches inside of us to our unconscious feelings. This power is very clear when studied in regards to abstract art. "The reason abstract art has the potential to be so powerful is that it keeps the conscious distractions to a minimum". (web) Instead of focusing on a particular image, like a fruit of flower, abstraction allows us to feel the energy of the painting. Because abstract art is not limited by precise or even realistic representation, the artist is free to analyze objects from various angles and show situations that may appear stilted in representational works.

For example, in Fernand Leger's The City, (web), the artist shows a primitive, birds eye view of a busy city. We can see in the middle of the painting there is some kind road and there are simplified people scattered throughout the painting, composed of geometric forms. The effect is one of confusion and over stimulation, like one might feel during rush hour. However, the painting does not show an actually street filled with cars and pedestrians. It gives the viewer the feeling of a bustling street scape, without actually portraying it. Using the same principles that portrayed the "bustling" of a landscape, abstract artists can show movement, even movement that is not "real".

An example of this is Umberto Boccioni's Unique Forms of Continuity in Space. This is a great example of abstract art. This bronze sculpture seems to gliding in space. Umberto, a futurist, projected his own beliefs and tried to capture the future that maybe one day we would be in space. (web org / avp /can / fn art / art /20th / sculpture /boccioni 02. jpg) The sculpture is almost recognizable as a figure, but Boccioni was more concerned with showing movement than man, so the form is distorted and stretched. This sense of movement adds another dimension to the meaning of abstract art, as an artist can choose whether create a chaotic, lively piece, or a serene, calming composition. Because of the flexibility of abstract art, it continued to appeal to artists well after its initial inception and so the meaning of abstract art continues to evolve.

Mark Rothko is a classic example of nonrepresentational art, or abstract art. He first appeared in the 1940's and is 'identified with the New York School, a circle of painters that emerged during the 1940's as a new collective voice in the American art. ' (web) In keeping with the abstract dogma, Rothko paid great attention to color, depth, shape, balance and composition. The classic Rothko paintings are extremely abstract and large in size. For example, No. 10, painted in 1950, is 90 1/4 x 57 5/8. The paintings that have made him famous feature rectangles loosely painted in sometimes vibrant colors balanced along the canvas.

But its Rothko's early work that really captures the essence of abstraction. (web) He uses no linear shapes and his subjects are positioned in odd compositions that really depict his emotions. This is not meant to discount his later works, which also showcase his emotions locked within positioning and color. His work is very balanced and, because Rothko chose nonrepresentational designs and elements, his work can be considered some of the greatest examples of abstract art to date. Leger, Boccioni and Rothko were all expressing their inner vision.

Art is a form of creative expression. Abstract art allowed artists to push the boundaries of creative freedom by favoring design and emotion over representation. But, as the question is posed at paintings. name, "How free can art be?" (web) The answer is clear. The only constraint placed by abstract art is that the works are generally nonrepresentational. The artists are free to explore their subjects from various perspectives, geometries and situations.

Movement can be show like never before. Merely by adding abstract elements to their works, artists can increase their range. As paintings. name states, "Contemporary paintings no longer reflect a contraposition between abstract art and figurative art, but these styles either flow together in paintings by contemporary artists, or exist side by side in pure abstract paintings or pure figurative paintings". (web) The meaning of abstract art is found in this freedom of choice and expression.