Abstract Art Myths? Not On My Watch
You’ve probably heard the muttered sentiment before – “My kid could paint that!”. Or come across someone dismissively referring to an abstract painting as “Just a bunch of splashes and scribbles”. Abstract art tends to be misunderstood and underappreciated.
Many viewers feel perplexed, even offended, by its lack of recognisable forms, writing it off as random and haphazard.
However, this reaction stems from some major abstract art myths and misconceptions that have clouded the public’s perception of abstract art.
This negative view of abstract art myths marginalises this magnificent art as a lesser art form and discredits the rigour, planning and technique that goes into creating these non-representational works.
In this article, we’ll tackle some of the common abstract art myths like:
Myth # 1: “It’s random”,
Myth # 2: “It’s easy”,
Myth # 3: “Anyone can do it”, and
Myth # 4: “Abstract art isn’t real art”.
Through insightful analysis and compelling examples, I aim to debunk these misguided assumptions and demonstrate how abstract art, far from being easy or aimless, relies upon masterful artistic talents honed over years of diligent practice.
I hope that readers will come away with a renewed appreciation for abstract art. Also, recognise both its cultural importance and how it captures profound human emotions and experiences through line, shape and colour rather than familiar forms.
By demystifying abstract art and interpreting the skilled intent behind it, this post seeks to overturn dismissive abstract art myths. It also aims to help readers engage with abstract art in an informed, thoughtful manner.
So leave any preconceived notions behind and let’s delve into the captivating world of abstract art with fresh eyes!
# 1: Dispelling the “Random” Abstract Art Myths
You may look at an abstract painting or sculpture and think “Wow, that looks totally random”. But dismissing abstract art as aimless or haphazard misses the deep intentionality behind it.
Abstract artists usually make a series of very deliberate decisions while avoiding the direct use of recognisable images. Abstract art requires great skill, planning and thought to convey meaning through colours, shapes, textures and compositions rather than concrete, representational imagery.
Viewers may fail to grasp the complexity of choices the abstract artist has made in terms of materials, techniques and conceptual goals. But randomness could not be further from the truth.
So while an abstract work may look spontaneous or arbitrary at first glance, it is built on layers of meticulous choices and creative problem-solving. Appreciating abstract art requires slowing down, taking a closer look, and recognising the artistic process behind the final product.
Abstract art is highly intentional, not aimless or haphazard
Look closely and you’ll notice how every element has a purpose. The renowned abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock used his drip technique not willy-nilly, but to craft dense, rhythmic compositions. His layers of paint build energetic movement and visual textures.
Colour field painters like Mark Rothko carefully balanced their blocks of colour to create feelings of gravity, light and space.
For Hermann Nitsch’s performances, the splashed paint and chaotic brushstrokes aim to shock viewers out of complacency.
Artists carefully consider composition, colour, balance, negative space
These artists judiciously construct each composition using principles like balance, emphasis and negative space.
Abstract art is created through thoughtful consideration of shapes, colours, lines and textures by the artist.
The relationships and interactions between these visual elements and how they elicit responses in the viewer are central to the goals of abstract artists.
Rather than haphazard marks, their gestures show intent to direct the eye, evoke emotion and imply energy.
So, when 20th century cubist pioneer, Pablo Picasso, omitted recognisable objects from his paintings, he wasn’t being random. By fracturing and recombining forms, he focused viewers on seeing these abstract shapes anew.
Markings and gestures are purposeful, not arbitrary
Abstract art is the opposite of arbitrary. It’s the product of talented artists making skilful, mindful choices.
The next time you see an abstract composition, slow down and appreciate the visceral experience the artist consciously crafted for you.
Once you understand the purposefulness behind it, abstract art stops looking random and starts looking brilliant.
I published an in-depth blog post examining whether abstract art is truly random or if there is an underlying creative process, so check it out if you’re interested in that debate – Is Abstract Art Random?
# 2: Debunking the “Easy” Abstract Art Myths
You may think abstract art looks easy to make but looks can be deceiving. Creating compelling abstract art requires immense skill honed over years of practice. It is far from something that can be picked up quickly with immediate success.
The techniques involved in abstract painting and sculpture demand the artist translate emotions, ideas and intents into colours, shapes, textures and compositions in the absence of concrete representations.
This is an exceptionally difficult task requiring mastery over diverse materials and a deep understanding of visual language.
Additionally, achieving visually engaging abstract art means making countless careful decisions about placement, proportion, medium, palette and more to evoke meaning and feelings.
There are no shortcuts. Abstractionists must problem-solve through extensive preparation and experimentation before executing their vision.
So while abstract art may appear simplistic, the time, thought and specialised abilities behind it make clear that impactful abstractions are anything but easy.
The challenge of saying more with less is immense. Dismissing the intensive artistic process behind abstraction prevents appreciating the skilled labour involved.
Mastery of colour mixing, blending and brushwork techniques
Mastery of colour theory is essential to mixing colours, blending hues and achieving lighting effects without recognisable objects.
Brushwork techniques like impasto, glazing, watery washes and textures demand extensive refinement.
For example, Helen Frankenthaler was an American abstract artist who poured paint straight onto canvases in new experimental ways requiring careful execution.
The results were large-scale paintings with areas of flat colour that seemed to merge with the canvas, avoiding any illusion of depth.
Understanding perspective and lighting essential
Understanding perspective allows abstractionists to create the illusion of depth and space through colour, lines and shapes alone.
Ellsworth Kelly was an American abstract artist who passed away in 2015. He was known for his reductive canvases that relied on his dexterity with perspective, shape and colour.
He was influenced by European modernism, especially by Matisse and Brancusi, as well as by nature and architecture.
He created paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints that explored the relationships between form and space, figure and ground as well as perception and reality.
Conveying emotion and meaning without recognisable forms is challenging
Yet the biggest challenge lies in conjuring emotion and meaning without concrete representations.
Abstract art needs time to connect with its viewers and unfold its meaning.
Viewers must be guided into feeling through the pure use of colour, texture and gestural brushwork. This demands artists find new visual languages beyond recognisable forms – no simple feat!
Highly complex technical skills required in abstraction
The immense technical skill, creative imagination and innate ability needed to produce a striking abstract artwork should be appreciated.
When you come across an abstract art piece that captivates you, take a moment to recognise the talent and effort that went into creating something so visually compelling.
“It is a widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing. We assert that the subject is crucial and only that subject matter is valid which is tragic and timeless. That is why we profess a spiritual kinship with primitive and archaic art”. – Mark Rothko.
Rothko was referring to his own style of painting. It consisted of large rectangles of luminous colours arranged on a flat surface.
He wanted to create a transcendent experience for the viewer, who would be immersed in the emotional impact of his paintings.
More details about “Is Abstract Art Easy“.
# 3: Confronting the “Anyone Can Do It” Abstract Art Myths
Ever heard someone look at an abstract work and flippantly say “I could do that”?
This popular misconception wrongly assumes abstract art just involves random splattering that anyone can imitate.
In truth, creating abstract art requires exceptional natural ability and artistic talent.
MoMA curator, Ann Temkin, said: “Abstract artists demonstrate extraordinary technical skill and aesthetic judgement.” She was talking about the exhibition Inventing Abstraction, 1910–1925, which she co-curated in 2012.
Natural artistic talent is required, not a matter of imitation
Firstly, abstraction is never mere imitation. Unlike representational art, abstraction has no reference point to copy – the artist must invent a visual language from scratch.
Pioneers like Wassily Kandinsky, Frantisek Kupka, and Hilma af Klint built this non-objective aesthetic from the ground up through sheer talent.
Years of practice in drawing, painting, art techniques
Secondly, it requires years of diligent practice at fundamental techniques like colour mixing, composition, textures, perspective and human anatomy even when not depicting figures literally.
No overnight success stories here. As the artist Chuck Close said, “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work”.
He was talking about this approach to making art and his belief that creativity comes from hard work and discipline, not from waiting for a muse or a flash of genius.
Having an intuitive “eye” for balance, composition, and aesthetics
Lastly, abstraction particularly depends on that elusive “eye” for balance, flow and aesthetics.
“The artists trained themselves to ‘see’ paint …they have an ability to organise shapes, colours and lines”. – Clement Greenberg.
This quote comes from his essay ‘Modernist Painting’, first published in 1960.
Greenberg was talking about the abstract expressionist painters of the 1940s and 1950s, such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko.
This remarkable intuitive sense of visual impact cannot simply be taught.
The next time you come across an impressive abstract composition, recognise it likely took the artist years to develop their talent and technique to create such compelling abstract forms.
Dismiss the “anyone can do it” myth. As painter Pablo Picasso said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” (A quote from brainyquote.com)
True abstract art skill is exceedingly rare.
I’ve written another blog about this subject – “Can Anyone Make Abstract Art.”
# 4: Argument Against Abstract Art Not Being “Real” Art
You may have heard abstract art dismissed as not “real” art. But this myth stems from a narrow-minded perspective of what art can be.
In truth, abstraction is very much real, serious art that requires immense imagination and creative vision.
Abstraction IS real art – stimulates emotion, promotes creativity and self-expression
Firstly, abstract art moves and provokes emotion powerfully.
Mark Rothko’s luminous colour field paintings radiate spirituality, awe and melancholy.
Jackson Pollock’s uncontrolled paint splatters channel explosive energy and chaos.
Rather than concrete, discernible subjects, abstract art expresses meaning through evoking emotional and psychological states in the viewer.
Abstractionists deftly manipulate formal elements like colour, line, shape, texture and form to convey concepts and sentiments in a suggestive instead of literal fashion.
Through their artistic visions translated into nuanced visual languages, abstract artists transcend tangible representations.
Instead, they aim to connect directly with the inner worlds of their audiences by crafting compositions that rouse specific intangible qualities – be they sensations, moods or ideas.
The power of abstraction lies in its capacity to subtly immerse viewers in subjective impressions simply using visual cues.
So while abstract pieces do not describe clear narratives, they can profoundly communicate and resonate all the same through the feelings and thoughts they summon up.
Abstract art is a broad term that encompasses many styles and movements of modern art, such as Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism, and Minimalism.
Some of the most famous abstract artists are Hilma af Klint, Wassily Kandinsky, Georgia O’Keeffe, Joan Mitchell, Piet Mondrian, Kazimir Malevich, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Bridget Riley.
Follows fundamental design principles and elements
Secondly, abstract art absolutely follows fundamental design principles like composition, contrast, movement and emphasis to engage viewers.
Piet Mondrian’s grid paintings balance form and space meticulously.
Willem de Kooning’s messy canvases use dynamic brushwork to direct eyes actively across the surface.
Skilfully applying the art elements sets great abstract art apart.
Often meticulously prepared through studies and underpainting
Finally, abstract art can involve extensive preparatory work before the final piece.
Cy Twombly’s scrawled panels emerged from careful sketches and studies.
Robert Motherwell’s Elegies series began in the late 1940s and continued until his death in 1991. The series was inspired by the Spanish Civil War and the poetry of Federico Garcia Lorca.
They consisted of black and white shapes on a white or coloured background, evoking a sense of mourning and loss.
I also have a blog post examining the debate over whether abstract art counts as “real art,” so take a look if you want a more in-depth analysis of that issue – Is Abstract Art Real Art?
Examples of Technical Skills in Abstract Art
Dismissing abstract art as random or easy overlooks the immense technical prowess and skill behind it.
Let’s examine some examples that shatter those misguided abstract art myths.
Describe techniques like layering, scraping, stippling
Firstly, the painting techniques involved demonstrate great mastery – from energetic action painting and dripped strokes to meticulous glazing and scumbling layers of colour.
Some key techniques used in abstract art include:
Layering – Applying multiple layers of paint, charcoal, pastels etc to create depth and texture.
The layers may interact with each other, with the upper layers revealing hints of the layers beneath. Layering can add complexity and a sense of history to the artwork.
Scraping – Using tools to scrape back into wet paint to reveal the underlying layers.
Scraping creates textures and dynamic surfaces. Artists like Hans Hofmann used scraping to create energetic abstract compositions.
Stippling – Applying small dots and marks to build up tone and texture.
The concentration of marks creates areas of light and dark. Stippling requires great control and patience. Pointillist painters like Georges Seurat used stippling to create shimmering abstract landscapes.
Some challenges faced by abstract artists include:
- Composition – Effective abstract art relies heavily on compelling compositions. Balancing elements like shape, form, colour and line can be difficult without a concrete subject matter.
- Communication – Abstract art still aims to convey meaning and emotion, which can be harder to do without recognisable figures and scenes. The artist must communicate concepts imaginatively through textures, tones and intuitive responses.
- Knowing when a work is finished – With no concrete subject matter as a reference, it can be tricky to decide when an abstract work is complete. Overworking paintings is a common issue.
- Help viewers appreciate and understand – Some viewers struggle to engage with abstract art. Artists must find ways to draw viewers in through the use of materials, textures, titles and more.
- Standing out – With no limits in abstract art, coming up with a unique and fresh style and developing a signature as an abstract artist poses a real challenge.
So in summary, abstract artists must rely on formal qualities like colour, line, rhythm and composition to create meaningful and striking works without the guide of recognisable subject matter. It requires great imagination, experimentation and intuitive decision-making.
Use of avant-garde materials – glass, photos, textiles
Additionally, abstract art readily embraces bold new materials that require inventive techniques.
Louise Nevelson’s monochromatic collaged sculptures cleverly incorporated wood, metal and random debris into cohesive abstract forms.
Louise Nevelson was an American sculptor who created many great art pieces including monochromatic outdoor sculptures and wooden wall art.
She used wood, metal and random debris that she collected from the streets of New York and assembled them into collaged sculptures.
Jean Arp’s torn paper pieces take an unorthodox material and arrangement to new artistic heights through a chance-based process requiring judgment.
Jean Arp was a German-French sculptor, painter and poet who was a Dadaist and an abstract artist. He created torn paper pieces in the 1930s, which were works of art created by chance.
He tore up pieces of paper and let them fall randomly on a larger sheet of paper. He then glued them where they landed, or sometimes rearranged them slightly according to his aesthetic judgment.
Mathematical ratios and compositional mapping
Mathematical precision also abounds in abstract composition.
Piet Mondrian leveraged the golden ratio to map his grids. The fractal patterns of Jackson Pollock’s splatters reveal careful orchestration.
As curator Richard Shiff notes, Pollock “controlled the flow from his stick or brush with an expert sense of velocity and direction.”
The above quote is from his essay “Pollock’s Touch”, which was published in the book Jackson Pollock: New Approaches in 1999.
He was analysing Pollock’s technique of dripping and pouring paint on canvas, and how it created a sense of movement and dynamism in his paintings.
This technical rigour expands abstraction’s visual impact. As Robert Delaunay’s vibrant colour discs demonstrate, meticulous calculation can produce stunning results. Craft enhances creative expression.
Robert Delaunay (18845-1941) was a French painter and one of the founders of the Orphism art movement.
He was known for his use of strong colours and geometric shapes to create abstract paintings that expressed motion, light and harmony.
He was influenced by Neo-Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism and Eastern philosophy. He painted various series of works, such as the Eiffel Tower, the City of Paris, the Windows and the Circular Forms. He also experimented with collage, relief, and stained glass.
So the next time you come across an abstract work, lean in and notice the striking techniques, materials mastery and compositional sophistication at play.
Recognise abstract art as a pinnacle of artistic skill and vision. Let these talented creators open your eyes to the power of pure paint, line, texture and form.
Abstraction’s Widespread Influence on Culture
Beyond the gallery walls, abstract art has left a tremendous imprint on our wider culture – debunking abstract art myths that it is irrelevant.
Abstract art has had a significant cultural influence and impacted society in a few key ways:
Challenging perceptions – Abstract art rejected familiar representations of reality and aimed to capture feelings, emotions and experiences instead. This challenged people’s customary ways of perceiving and interacting with art. Over time it opened up audiences to appreciate art in new, more conceptual ways.
Capturing modern life – Abstract art reflected the energy and dynamism of modern life in the 20th century. The style resonated with rapid social changes taking place and introduced a new visual language. Abstraction conveyed modern themes of alienation, anxiety and social unease.
Influencing design – Abstract art had a big impact on applied arts and design fields. The ideas and aesthetics influenced graphic, industrial, fashion and interior design with its creative use of shape, colour, line and composition. It inspired new ways to think about form and function in design.
Conceptual focus – Abstract art placed more emphasis on conceptual meaning over realistic representation. This paved the way for conceptual art where the idea behind the work became more important than visual aesthetics. It valued meaning and critical thinking over beauty.
Pure self-expression – Abstract artists had the freedom to focus on sheer self-expression, emotion and imagination without limitation. This set a precedent for art being the communication of inner truths and freedom of creativity over the replication of nature.
In summary, abstract art fundamentally shifted the way audiences interacted with art and broadened definitions of what art could be. It reflected the changing attitudes of the 20th century while pioneering new conceptual approaches that influenced wider culture and society.
Impact on graphic design, branding, UX, architecture, photography
You can see abstraction’s impact across visual fields. The compositional dynamism of De Stijl informed modern graphic design.
Architect Le Corbusier embraced bold abstract forms and colours. He embraced bold abstract forms and colours in his designs, influenced by Cubism, Futurism and Eastern philosophy.
He used geometric shapes, primary colours and contrast to create dynamic and harmonious compositions.
Photographers like Man Ray pushed abstraction through experimental techniques and surrealist imagery.
Man Ray invented the rayograph, a camera-less method of creating negative images by placing objects on photosensitive paper and exposing them to light.
He also used solarisation, a technique that reverses the tones in part of a photograph, creating a halo effect. He was inspired by Dada and Surrealism and sought to capture the uncanny and the irrational in his photographs.
Today’s UX and app interfaces leverage abstraction to communicate and engage users.
Featured in movies, advertising, decor – culturally relevant
Picasso’s cubist portraits, which showed multiple perspectives and angles of the same subject, inspired filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein, Jean-Luc Godard and Orson Welles to use montage to create dynamic and complex narratives.
Also, Picasso’s cubist portraits influenced other movie techniques, such as split-screen, which divides the screen into two or more parts to show simultaneous actions or events.
For example, in the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair, the director Norman Jewison used split-screen to create a visual style that resembled a cubist collage.
Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey did envision abstraction’s place in future décor. The film, which was released in 1968, depicted a vision of the year 2001 when humans travelled to outer space and interacted with intelligent machines.
The film’s production design was influenced by abstract art, especially by the minimalist and geometric works of artists like Piet Mondrian, Barnett Newman and Frank Stella.
Kubrick used abstract shapes and colours to create a contrast between the organic and the artificial, the human and the machine, and the past and the future.
For example, in the opening sequence of the film, Kubrick juxtaposed the prehistoric landscape of Africa with a black monolith, a mysterious and abstract object that symbolised alien intelligence.
In later sequences of the film, Kubrick used bright colours and geometric patterns to decorate the interiors of the spaceships and the space station, creating a futuristic and sterile atmosphere.
Car design, marketing and branding also leverage abstract elements to capture attention and set trends.
“Abstract art has spread everywhere in our culture, after having started from a tiny avant-garde base; it has filtered into commercial art, advertising, fashion magazines, and into home decoration and contemporary architecture.” – Clement Greenberg.
The above quote comes from Clement Greenberg’s essay “Abstract, Representational and so forth” which was published in 1954 in the journal Art New, volume 53, page 46.
“The innovations of abstract art, which have been so influential in the development of modern painting and sculpture, have also changed the languages of art for generations to come. The creative revolution initiated by a few artists early in the century has so entered into the consciousness of their colleagues and successors that abstraction in some form now characterizes almost all advanced art.” – Alfred H. Barr Jr.
This quote is from his book Cubism and Abstract Art, originally published in 1936. In 1929, Alfred H. Barr Jr. established the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and served as its first director.
So beyond questioning its skill, the sheer ubiquity and diverse applications of abstract art in modern culture shatter the myth of its irrelevance.
Appreciate abstract art as an endlessly influential artistic force still permeating our visual world today. It has earned its place in art history and modern visual expression.
Final Thought About Abstract Art Myths
After examining common abstract art myths from multiple angles, it’s clear abstract art requires great skill, intent and vision to master.
Dismissing it as random, easy or irrelevant couldn’t be further from the truth.
As we’ve seen, creating compelling abstract art demands technical painting mastery, innate aesthetic talent and years of diligent practice.
Design elements are applied with creative purpose, not arbitrarily. Materials and techniques are leveraged innovatively to engage viewers on a sensory level.
Abstract art also holds an important place in art history and modern visual culture.
Concrete representations aren’t needed for art to speak deeply and universally. As critic John Yau states, “The most challenging abstraction seeks to be verbally inexplicable. It wants to offer an experience that penetrates your nervous system.”
Approach abstract art with an open mind. Slow down and let the textures, colours and compositions make their full impact.
As your assumptions fade, abstract art emotions, imagination and ingenuity are revealed. There are no shortcuts to grasping it – only engagement and contemplation.
See through the abstract art myths and experience this elegant type of art as the meaningful, enduring art form that it is.
“Painting is not about an experience. It is an experience” – Mark Rothko.
Pay attention to what abstract art is expressing beneath the surface. Immerse yourself in the creations of these highly skilled, creative artists. You’ll gain a new appreciation for their talent and vision.
Abstract art challenges us. And great art should always challenge our perceptions. Be willing to meet that challenge, and whole new artistic worlds will open up to you.
Finally:
I’m a passionate non-representational abstract artist and art has been a big part of my life.
Sharing my art is both exhilarating and vulnerable.
Each viewer experiences it subjectively through their own lens. My hope is to evoke emotion – joy, curiosity and serenity. But I understand abstract art is not everyone’s cup of tea.
We all have diverse preferences shaped by our experiences. In the end, I create for the love of the process, to give form to the ineffable. My art speaks to those who are willing to listen.
The purpose of this blog post, Abstract Art Myths, is not to push abstract art upon others or sway opinions, for I know that our artistic tastes are as unique as snowflakes, shaped by the winds of our own perspectives.
Art is for everybody, but maybe not abstract art and that is totally fine.
The above are my thoughts about abstract art myths. What are your thoughts about it? Write your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you.
Other Related Articles:
What Makes a Good Abstract Painting?
The Beauty of Abstract Paintings
The Beauty of Imperfection in Abstract Art
Why Are We Attracted to Abstract Art?
Abstract Art is More Than Decoration
What Do People See in Abstract Painting?
How Can I Learn to Actually See Abstract Art?
The Art of Abstraction: A Journey Through History and Creativity
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