Pareidolia in Abstract Art: The Fascinating Phenomenon

Pareidolia in abstract art is a fascinating phenomenon that can bring new meaning and interpretation to this type of amazing art. Context plays a significant role in our perception of pareidolia.

You may not have come across the word “pareidolia” before I’m sure you will know exactly what it is if you continue reading.

Have you ever looked at an abstract painting, particularly non-representational, and seen something familiar in the lines and shapes? Or maybe looked at a cloud and saw a shape of a face or an animal?

Chances are, you may have experienced a phenomenon known as Pareidolia.

Pareidolia is not something new to me. It came to my attention recently when I was reading an interesting article, “Do You See What I See”, by Dorothy Berry-Lound.

It reminded me of some of the comments a few people said when they were looking at some of my abstract paintings. Some said they saw faces, birds or animals. I never painted any representations of these images.

My paintings are mainly abstract non-representational, i.e. there is no depiction of the real world. These comments were quite interesting and added different interpretations to the paintings.

Let’s find out more about pareidolia and whether it has any impact on abstract art.

What is pareidolia?

Pareidolia is the tendency of the human brain to recognise patterns, even when they are not actually present. It is a psychological phenomenon of seeing familiar patterns and objects in random or ambiguous stimuli.

The human brain works continuously to look for and identify familiar patterns and objects. This tendency has been linked to our survival instincts to recognise and respond to potential risks and threats.

Nothing to worry about…

Pareidolia is a natural human phenomenon that has evolved over time to identify threats or opportunities in our environment.

This image of a face in a building is a typical example of “Face Pareidolia.

Abstract art vs. non-representational art

In the context of explaining pareidolia in abstract art, I think it is worth mentioning here that there is a difference between abstract art and non-representational art.

Abstract art is usually created with some recognisable objects, but they are abstracted, i.e. simplified, exaggerated or a combination of both. Therefore, the viewer would be able to see and recognise some of these familiar objects.

However, maybe due to a lack of basic knowledge about art, it has been customary in recent years to refer to anything that is not representational or realist as “abstract.”

Non-representational art, on the other hand, does not attempt to represent any real object at all. This is a type of art that is mainly created with colours, shapes and lines, etc.

Picasso was well-known for creating some of his famous abstract paintings. For example, below (left) is an image of “The Weeping Woman”, a 1937 painting by Pablo Picasso. The painting abstracts a familiar object, but we can clearly recognise and see a woman’s face.

The image on the right shows clearly that there is no representation or depiction of any real objects. The entire non-representational painting is created with colours, shapes and lines.

“George Went Swimming at Barnes Hole, but It Got Too Cold”, 1957 by Joan Mitchell is one of the most famous non-representational paintings.

I hope you can easily see the difference between abstract art and non-representational art. So, where you see the word “abstract” in this article, I’m actually referring to non-representational art.

How visual information is processed in the human brain?

Seeing faces in everyday objects or other familiar shapes is a normal human condition. It relates to how the brain process visual information.

The brain processes vast amounts of visual information and within 13 milliseconds it makes predictions about what we are seeing or perceiving to see. Such predictions and interpretations could be influenced by personal experience.

Our brains are hard-wired to understand our environment and, particularly people. The brain works very hard and tries to look and interprets human-like intention in everything around us.

The sense we rely on the most in our daily activities is vision. Our brains’ processing of images is incredibly sophisticated and intricate. Humans are incredibly skilled at recognising meaningful patterns, shapes and objects from random data.

Pareidolia is an amazing natural phenomenon which is simply an illusion of seeing faces or other familiar shapes where they are not actually present. The brain is programmed to process visual information and face detection is one of its main functions.

This is only a simple explanation without going too technical. Several scientific studies explain a lot more about the pareidolia phenomenon.

The benefits of pareidolia in abstract art

The phenomenon of pareidolia in abstract art can bring a new level of interpretation and meaning to the artwork. Viewers can engage with the abstract artwork on perhaps a deeper level, connecting with the recognisable shapes that they perceive within the artwork.

This can make the artwork more accessible and relatable to a wider audience, as viewers can draw on their own personal experiences and associations to understand and appreciate the artwork.

The limitations of pareidolia in abstract art

While pareidolia can bring a new level of interpretation to abstract art, it can also limit the artist’s ability to convey a specific meaning or message.

The viewer’s perception of recognisable shapes and forms may not align with the artist’s intent, leading to a possible disconnection between the artist and the viewer.

Additionally, the viewer’s perception of pareidolia may distract from other elements in the abstract artwork, such as colour, texture and composition, that the artist may have intended to be the focus.

Examples of pareidolia in abstract art

Here are a couple of my non-representational paintings which show two recognisable objects. I never intended to paint any recognisable objects and I actually never noticed them until other people mentioned them.

Can you see any shapes of recognisable objects? I can see one in each painting. Take your time and I will show you the objects I can see at the end of this article.

Other interesting information about pareidolia

• According to MIT News, the human brain is capable of recognising faces in just 13 milliseconds. This rapid processing speed is the result of evolution and is essential for survival.
• Pareidolia is more likely to occur in people who have a strong imagination and high levels of creativity. A study published by ScienceDirect.
• Why do so many people see faces in everyday objects? ‘Face Pareidolia’, an interesting study published by Psychological Science.

A final word about pareidolia in abstract art

Abstract art, particularly non-representation art, has long been a source of fascination and inspiration for many. This style of art is so unique. It is characterised by its lack of recognisable and representational elements, often relying on non-representational forms, shapes and lines to convey meaning.

Despite its non-recognisable elements and composition, many of my friends and other people who have seen some of my abstract paintings said that they could see faces or other recognisable objects within the artworks.

I stopped painting traditional representational art many years ago. So, all my paintings that I have been creating for over 30 years now are non-representational abstract art.

Pareidolia is not limited to just abstract art. It can also impact how we perceive and understand the world around us, I think.

So the next time you are looking at a piece of abstract art, take a moment to consider the role that pareidolia is playing in your interpretation. It may just add a whole new dimension to your viewing experience.

I’m fascinated by the hidden beauty of abstract art and learning more about the effects of pareidolia in abstract art just makes it even more interesting.

The Answer: Did you manage to see the shapes in the above abstract paintings? Well done if you have and if you haven’t, here they are:

Have you had any Pareidolia experiences? Let me know about it in the comments section below.