Is Abstract Art Real Art
I’ve been exploring the world of abstract art lately and it has led me to think more about some common myths surrounding this creative style. In a previous post, Abstract Art Myths, I talked about myths like “Is abstract art real art”, “It’s random,” “It’s easy to make” and “Anyone can do abstract art.”
Today, I want to focus on the subject of Is abstract art real.
This question of whether abstract art counts as “real” art sparks a lot of debate and strong opinions. As an abstract artist who truly appreciates abstract creations, I feel compelled to share my personal perspective.
In this blog post, I want to directly tackle the notion that “Abstract Art isn’t real art.”
I aim to highlight the complexities of abstract art and discuss why I believe this notion represents a limited way of thinking about creative expression. My goal is to challenge assumptions, bringing nuance to a discussion that is often oversimplified.
What does the phrase “real art” even denote? Why do some people feel abstract art lacks validity within the larger art world? These are just some of the questions I’ll explore.
I wrote a blog post exploring the myth that abstract art is random, as part of my series examining common misconceptions about abstract art, so give it a read if you’d like more insight on that debate – Is Abstract Art Random?
I also wrote other blog posts as part of this series – Can Anyone Make Abstract Art and Is Abstract Art Easy. Have a look and I’m interested to hear your views.
What Makes Something “Art”?
What is the definition of art and what’s its purpose?
To evaluate if abstract art qualifies as “real” art, we first need to consider what defines art in general. Fundamentally, art is a means for people to reflect on and communicate truths about human existence. It lets us connect with each other through shared emotional experiences.
Art is simply a language of “expression” and “communication”.
Art as a Thoughtful Reflection on Reality
When people say art involves “recreating reality,” they mean that artists thoughtfully select and arrange elements from the real world to convey particular ideas or feelings.
By this definition, abstract art absolutely qualifies as real art. Pioneering abstract artists like Wassily Kandinsky demonstrate this concept beautifully.
Kandinsky’s masterpiece “Composition VII” does not depict recognisable objects. However, through its colours and shapes, it manages to convey a complex emotional experience – the artist’s internal reality.
Kandinsky deliberately curated those elements to share his emotional landscape, grounding abstract art firmly in genuine creative expression.
Capturing Universal Human Truths and Emotions
Great art explores timeless themes like human beauty, suffering, dreams and truths. Mark Rothko’s iconic abstract work “No. 61 (Rust and Blue)” elicits profound emotional responses from viewers.
Through nuanced combinations of colour and shape, Rothko taps into universal human emotions and truths, strongly debunking the myth that abstract art is not real art.
Just these two masterpieces are more than enough to answer the question of whether abstract art is real, but let’s continue.
Abstract Art as Highly Skilled Mastery
Some people believe abstract art lacks the craftsmanship and mastery of traditional art forms. However, creating compelling abstract imagery requires exceptional skill.
Jackson Pollock’s splatter painting “Autumn Rhythm” showcases remarkable technical prowess. The intricate orchestration of drips and splatters speaks to Pollock’s years of experience honing his talents – a mastery that dispels doubts about abstract art’s artistic merit.
Communicating Universal Themes through Abstraction
The most impactful art explores themes relating to the universality of human experience – love, fear, ambition and dreams.
Piet Mondrian’s iconic work “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow” tackles profound concepts using basic shapes and colours.
The ability of abstraction to discuss timeless themes further substantiates it as a serious artistic practice.
An Evolving Art for an Evolving World
Art changes over time to reflect shifting cultures and worldviews. Abstraction exemplifies this evolution.
Kazimir Malevich’s avant-garde painting “Black Square” challenged longstanding assumptions about art by reducing it to its bare essential elements. Such groundbreaking innovations show abstraction as a cutting-edge art form speaking to a changing world.
Is abstract art real? When analysed closely, abstract art clearly fulfils the fundamental goal of art – to reflect on the human condition in an insightful way.
As abstraction continues to reveal its rich dimensions, it becomes undeniable that it constitutes legitimate and compelling artistic expression.
Distinguishing Aesthetically Pleasing Scenes from Artistic Expression
To determine if abstract art constitutes real art, we should compare it to the natural beauty we see in the world around us.
Nature’s Aesthetic Beauty
There are many breathtaking sights in nature – rose petals floating in a basin, waves crashing rhythmically on the shore, dew droplets on a flower petal sparkling in the sunlight.
These scenes are undeniably aesthetically pleasing. However, while visually interesting, they are not works of art themselves. They are products of the natural world rather than conscious creative choices.
Don’t take me wrong, nature is my biggest inspiration and I’ve written several articles about its direct impact on creating abstract paintings. Have a look at this blog – The Most Creative Art Inspiration You’ll Find This Month.
Abstract Art as Intentional Form of Expression
Abstract art emerges from deliberate artistic intent rather than randomly occurring natural beauty. Consider abstract expressionist Franz Kline’s dynamic painting “Mahoning.”
While not representing a specific scene, the dramatic black and white strokes clearly convey Kline’s emotional perspective – his artistic interpretation of reality. This intentional act of abstraction is core to what distinguishes art from arbitrary aesthetic pleasure.
Surface Beauty vs. Deeper Meaning
A blood splatter on a blank canvas may initially resemble an abstract composition. However, whereas the blood splatter arises circumstantially, works like Mark Rothko’s “Orange, Red, Yellow” are products of conscious artistic visions.
While Rothko’s luminous rectangles of colour may seem simplistic at first glance, further inspection reveals intricate emotional layers – evidence of intentional choices rather than chance.
Deeper meaning in abstract art can be amazing when you delve deeper within. Here’s more explanation about abstract art meaning.
Transferring the Tangible Through Abstract Interpretation
Scenes existing in nature possess tangible, surface-level beauty. However, artists like Willem de Kooning take inspiration from tangible reality and then transform it into subjective abstract interpretations reflecting inner truths.
In “Woman I,” de Kooning deconstructs the female form into a vision of strained movement and writhing colour. His intentional reconfiguring of reality is core to the distinction between art and happenstance beauty.
Art as an Act of Conscious Creation
Nature contains visual beauty, but it arises randomly over long periods of time. In contrast, artists thoughtfully choose certain parts of reality and reorganise them to share creative visions.
For example, an oil slick on the street might momentarily catch your eye. But for something to be considered meaningful art, it requires conscious intent by human creators, not just accidental occurrences.
The artist takes recognisable physical things from the real world and imaginatively transforms them into expressions of emotions or commentary on ideas. A dazzling oil slick lacks that deliberate effort to transform materials into purposeful expressions.
True artistry works through the creative choices artists make about reshaping aspects of reality into subjective depictions capturing an inner vision.
In essence, art is less about visual appeal alone and more centrally involves artists applying their imagination to consciously select and arrange reality into works.
Such works of art convey personal meaning, rather than nature randomly creating visually interesting scenes over time without conscious human effort.
Still thinking is abstract art real art?!
Unpacking Abstract Art
To fully understand abstract art as real art, we need to clarify the term “abstract” itself, which has two distinct meanings in art.
- The Modernist Definition of “Abstract Art”
Modernist critics typically view “abstract art” as meaning non-objective, non-representational art – art without any discernible subject matter. Under this definition, the more “abstract” (i.e. meaningless) the art, the better.
For example, Kazimir Malevich’s avant-garde painting “Black Square” lacks any recognisable images. However, the conscious act of rendering a black square on canvas clearly communicates ideas about minimalism and art’s evolution. Though non-objective, Malevich’s piece represents intentional artistic expression.
- Abstract Art as Intentional Representation
The modernist perspective misses the true meaning of “abstract” in art – where abstraction stands in for something else symbolically.
Wassily Kandinsky’s “Composition VIII” contains no literal depictions. However, through combinations of colours, shapes and lines, Kandinsky represents a visual language expressing emotions and concepts.
His deliberate use of abstraction transforms the canvas into a symbolic realm for conveying artistic vision.
More about What is Abstract Art?
Parallels to Abstract Language
Compare abstract art to written language, where words function as abstractions to symbolise real phenomena. The word “carnation” does not physically embody that flower but represents it conceptually.
Similarly, Jackson Pollock’s tangled lines and drips in “Autumn Rhythm” represent chaotic emotions rather than tangible objects. His intentional abstractions become vessels for artistic communication.
Abstraction as Impactful Representation
Great art utilises abstraction not as intellectual puzzle-solving, but as imaginative representation conveying ideas powerfully.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings of magnified flowers or Wassily Kandinsky’s haunting compositions demonstrate abstraction as an intentional tool for amplifying artistic visions – confirming its merit as genuine creative practice.
In essence, “abstract art” refers not to meaningless shapes and colours but to art harnessing abstraction to purposefully represent profound perspectives. Recognising this intentionality is key to unveiling abstraction as a substantial, evocative art form.
We’ll continue to find out – is abstract art real art?
The Vital Role of Abstraction in Art
To appreciate abstract art as real art, we should understand the crucial role abstraction plays in artistic expression. Abstraction allows artists to translate inner experiences into a visual language.
Communicating Beyond Physical Appearance
Abstract art moves past literal physical depictions. Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting “Guernica” uses bold abstractions of figures and animals to capture the raw emotional trauma and violence of war.
Though the jarring fragmented forms bear little resemblance to academic realism, they powerfully convey themes of pain, chaos and suffering with an immediacy that a descriptive painting could not.
The inventive visual language communicates the unvarnished emotional essence of humanity enduring profound anguish.
In the process, Picasso compels us to look beyond surface appearances to connect viscerally with deeper universal human experiences expressed through imaginative artistic interpretations.
Abstraction as Imaginative Freedom
Great art utilises abstraction as a tool for conveying emotions and ideas inventively. Joan Miró’s whimsical painting “The Birth of the World” features playful, almost childlike abstract shapes and lines.
However, this imaginative visual vocabulary speaks deeply about Miró’s unfiltered creative vision.
Channelling Universal Emotions Through Abstraction
By relinquishing realistic constraints, abstraction provides a direct conduit for expressing themes that resonate across humanity.
Wassily Kandinsky’s bold colours and forms in “Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle)” immerse viewers in the tumultuousness of its title without literally depicting it. This capacity confirms abstraction’s prowess as an impactful emotional language.
Liberation Through Distilling Reality
Abstract artists free themselves to explore realms beyond tangible scenes by distilling inspiration into their elemental forms. They also offer a similar freedom to their viewers.
The mesmerising drips and arcs of paint in Jackson Pollock’s “Number 1A, 1948” felt radical partly through wholly abandoning conventions of representation. The work’s unfiltered directness suggests reality freed from traditional limitations.
Infusing Life Into Geometric Patterns
Notable abstract art often references the tangible world while transforming its essence. Piet Mondrian’s “Broadway Boogie Woogie” crystallises the ecstatic energy of New York City life into a grid of coloured lines and blocks.
The recreation of reality with basic forms and colours exemplifies abstraction’s power.
Individual Interpretation and Connection
Great abstract art leaves room for personal interaction and reflection.
Kazimir Malevich’s seminal piece “White on White” reduces artistic expression to a blank white square – a tabula rasa for viewers to project meanings based on individual perceptions.
This shows abstraction as a starting point for dynamic engagement.
Abstraction forms the core of impactful art by enabling transformative interpretations of tangible things into an imaginative visual vocabulary that communicates truths, emotions and ideas powerfully.
It confirms that abandoning physical realism does not make art less real or meaningful.
Is Abstract Art Real Art? I Love It!
I really enjoy abstract art, so I may be a bit biased when people ask “Is abstract art real art?” Abstract art holds special meaning for me. I’m always thrilled to debate whether abstract creations count as real art.
Discussing this question – “Is abstract art real art?” – with fellow artists and art lovers opens my mind. Hearing different perspectives is inspiring.
Some argue abstract creations are just random shapes and colours splashed mindlessly onto canvas. However, great abstraction requires considerable skill in turning real-world inspiration into imaginative compositions that evoke poignant human truths despite lacking physical realism.
Let me continue to share more views on this debate over “Is abstract art real art.” I believe that once you immerse yourself in the emotions and ideas abstract art conveys, you feel its ability to deeply move and connect with viewers.
For me, that capacity to profoundly impact people makes abstract art undoubtedly real art.
What are your thoughts?
I’d love to hear your unique takes on this timeless question – “is abstract art real art?” Let’s explore the many dimensions that make abstract art so meaningful and real for me. Please share your perspective.
Now, back to our article – is abstract art real art?
Abstract Art’s Roots in Traditional Masterworks
Exploring history reveals an integral link between classic realism and modern abstraction. While seemingly different, the two share profound connections affirming abstraction as a timeless form of expression.
Building on the Basics
Abstract art has foundations in techniques honed by old masters. Da Vinci’s intricate anatomical drawings demonstrate the dedication to craft vital for later abstraction. Picasso’s dramatic distortions of form echo Michelangelo’s expressive sculptures.
Finding Abstraction Within Realism
The old masters often incorporated abstract elements within realistic artworks. Hieronymus Bosch’s eerie, fantastical themes and Rembrandt’s use of light to capture philosophical ideas are precursors to fully abstract styles.
The emotional resonance of these works foreshadows abstraction’s power.
Inspiring Expressive Interpretations
Rembrandt’s mastery of lighting and composition elicited deeply personal reactions, inspiring later generations to prioritise abstraction in conveying emotion forcefully.
Turner’s swirling, quasi-abstract seascapes and Friedrich’s stark romantic landscapes paved the way for liberation from rigid realism.
Elevating the Mundane Through Composition
Jan Vermeer’s photorealistic domestic scenes contain abstraction in their geometrical order and thoughtful use of light.
By framed ordinarily, Vermeer invites philosophical interpretation, laying the groundwork for abstraction’s capacity to showcase new perspectives.
Composition in abstract art plays a vital role in making a good abstract painting or a great art. What makes a good abstract painting?
Transitioning to Intentional Abstraction
The progression crystallised in late 19th/early 20th century works by pioneers like Cézanne. His fracturing of landscapes into expressive blocks of colour and form directly precipitated complete abstraction by artists like Mondrian and Kandinsky.
Reinventing Classic Themes Through Modern Eyes
Today’s abstract artists revisit timeless themes found in old masterpieces. Rothko’s fields of colour echo Rembrandt’s penetrating psychological portraits.
Pollock’s spontaneous chaotic paint drips reimagine Turner’s turbulent seascapes. In skilful hands, abstraction becomes a bridge between classical art and pioneering modernity.
Pioneering abstract art did not appear randomly but rather consciously built upon themes and techniques synonymous with iconic realism, affirming its legitimacy as an inheritor and reinventor of age-old creative traditions.
“No Great Artists Ever See Things As They Really Are.” – Oscar Wilde
Unpacking Craftsmanship and Meaning in Abstract Art
Modern abstract art is sometimes critiqued as lacking craftsmanship or substantive meaning. However, a thoughtful analysis reveals intricate layers of intent and significance.
Technical Mastery Through Expressive Means
Some critics dismiss abstract artists for lacking classical techniques. However, Willem de Kooning’s explosive painting “Excavation” exhibits exceptional command of composition, brushwork, and colour. The sheer technical complexity dispels perceptions of abstract art as random and crude.
As far as I know, “Excavation” painting by Willem de Kooning was sold for $22 million at Sotheby’s New York in 2015. A very expensive painting, indeed.
I’ve written about expensive abstract art in my blog – Why is Abstract Art so Expensive?
Abstraction as an International Approach
Mastery in abstract art manifests not through realism but through calculated expressive abstraction.
Lee Krasner‘s inventive forms and colours in “Milkweed” showcase deliberate stylistic choices rather than haphazardness. This intentionality constitutes its own form of skilful, meticulous technique.
Conveying Meaning Through Non-objective Means
Mark Rothko’s luminous colour field paintings frequently get critiqued as meaningless shapes and blocks of colour.
However, Rothko uses abstraction purposefully to channel emotions through non-representational means – the paintings’ power lies in their ambiguity, which invites personal interpretations.
Surface Chaos, Underlying Control
Jackson Pollock’s splatter paintings appear anarchic, but closer inspection reveals conscious control in the articulate chaos.
The careful balance of order and expression in “Lavender Mist” points to layers of subtle technique and intent. Abstraction here becomes a calculated visual language.
Finding Meaning in Ambiguity
Critics fault abstract art as meaningless, but meaning lies precisely in embracing open-endedness.
Agnes Martin‘s minimalist canvas “Morning” encourages varied personal responses – this ambiguity conveys a philosophical perspective rather than empty formalism.
Channelling the Complexity of Modern Life
Today’s world is full of uncertainty and complexity.
Cy Twombly‘s kinetic “Untitled” scrambles letters and symbols to capture fragmentary impressions reminiscent of the information age. Abstraction here reflects substantive themes of contemporary
Modern abstraction fused technical finesse with a commitment to eliciting emotion and meaning in revolutionary ways that departed from rigid conventions but demonstrated meticulous creative vision.
Examining the Authoritative Influence on Artistic Value
In the art world, abstract art’s status often hinges on the views of powerful authorities like critics and curators. Their pronouncements shape perceptions, dividing opinions on what constitutes real art.
The Sway of Credentials
In the art world, credentials carry weight – the judgment of prominent critics and curators profoundly influences reputation.
When authorities champion works like Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square” as groundbreaking, it cements notions of their artistic importance. Over time, this compounds, moulding widespread perspectives on abstraction.
Indoctrination Through Institutional Education
Educational institutions also strongly sway opinions – academic programmes ingrain certain artistic preferences through training.
The compulsion to agree with scholarly consensus can compel even sceptics to accept designated masterpieces like Mondrian’s “Composition II” as paramount achievements warranting uncritical reverence.
Upholding Status Symbols
Over time, the names of certain artists become enshrined as markers of sophistication.
Figures like Picasso, Matisse and Pollock signify high culture; to question their work risks accusations of lacking refinement.
This makes it challenging to impartially analyse if their abstractions qualify as substantive art or just branded status symbols.
Shifting Independent Assessment
For the average person, doubting institutional authorities on art seems daunting, even embarrassing.
From a young age, we are taught to trust the judgments of scholars over our own still-developing taste. This can engender prolonged reliance on external opinions over independent critical faculties.
Defending Sacrosanct Culture Beliefs
Given their exalted branding, modern abstract art has become a cornerstone belief representing entire cultural worldviews.
Rothko’s sombre colour fields, for instance, are upheld more as revered icons than as fallible art open to critique.
In this climate, scepticism becomes heresy – objective analysis falls captive to the dogmatic defence of institutional dogmas.
Reclaiming Unfettered Evaluation
For discourse to remain substantive, arguments must stay grounded in facts open to good-faith scrutiny.
When art appreciation becomes intertwined with deference to authority rather than individual emotional resonance, productive debate suffers.
Before canonising any style or artist, we must reclaim the willingness to evaluate works on their actual merits.
Fundamentally, while authorities offer valuable guidance, their verdicts should catalyse personal inquiry rather than stifle it through an intimidating aura.
Only through self-driven active engagement can we determine what truly speaks to us – including abstract art’s capacity to convey artistic truth.
Abstraction as an Innately Personal Art Form
As you can see there is so much to discuss the question of “Is abstract art real art?” Let’s continue.
Evaluating abstract art requires embracing the convergence of individual taste, artistic skill and external perspectives.
Abstraction’s legitimacy stems from its exceptional capacity to facilitate deeply personal expression through imaginative means.
A Diversity of Viewpoints
Appreciating iconic works like Wassily Kandinsky’s “Composition VII” involves acknowledging the diversity of reactions they elicit.
Our background, knowledge and emotions colour our perceptions. There are no absolute verdicts – only the tapestry of perspectives that enrich arts culture.
Redefining Conventions of Craft
Masterful abstractionists like Franz Kline expand notions of skill with works like “Chief,” where deliberate brushstrokes compose their own visual vocabulary.
The technical expertise of conveying sentiment through such unconventional stylistic choices helps dispel misperceptions of abstraction as random or naïve.
A Portal for Personal Discovery
The meaning of works like Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Music, Pink and Blue No. 2” unfolds through viewers embracing them as a portal for introspection and discovery rather than searching for fixed messages.
Their power derives not from literal description but from providing a foundation for our own imaginative encounters.
Channelling Emotion Through Colour and Form
One need not understand Joan Mitchell’s exuberant “City Landscape” compositionally to connect with its raw emotional resonance.
This is just an amazing painting.
Like music, Mitchell’s eloquent gestural forms trigger profoundly personal reactions that words may fail to encapsulate. Such a response dispels literalistic demands we place on art.
Pushing Boundaries as Core to Artistic Growth
Reductive yet compelling works like Mark Rothko’s enigmatic colour studies highlight that discomfort with artistic experimentation stagnates culture.
By eliminating preconceptions of what art ‘should’ look like, we open ourselves to new technical languages that broaden definitions of beauty and meaning.
Abstract art’s ever-unfolding expressive capacity confirms its merit as part of a venerable creative legacy still being shaped.
Beyond external judgments, we must embrace emotional instinct and keep sight of art’s ultimate purpose – to inspire, challenge and delight.
The Question Remains Debatable – Is Abstract Art Real Art?
As we conclude this exploration of abstract art, I hope I’ve opened your mind to its capacities as a profoundly evocative artistic form.
Far from random shapes and colours, great abstraction takes tremendous vision and skill to distil aspects of life into compelling compositions that transcend tangible reality.
My aim was not to impose definitive judgements, but rather to spotlight abstraction’s rich diversity and its ability to speak to universal human truths.
I encourage you to actively challenge your own preconceptions by directly engaging with abstract works – let Rothko’s sombre canvases envelop you, lose yourself in Pollock’s frenetic energy and ponder Kandinsky’s poetic visual language.
Form your own connections free of the baggage of labels like “real art.” For art to remain a catalyst for growth, we must meet it with open minds and receptive spirits.
Feel free to share your impressions as you undertake your own journeys of discovery into abstraction.
Rest assured, even confusion and discomfort signal productive revealing. As Kandinsky himself proclaimed: “There are things which cannot be uttered with words but only with colour.”
I hope this discussion brings you a little closer to grasping those ineffable things.
So, is abstract art real art?