Abstract art. The controversial child of postmodern thinking. An abomination to some, a triumph to others. It represents a change in thinking, visual language, and perspective, so indicative of modern thinking.
Here we explore the evolution of abstraction as an art form, looking at the colorful lives of famous abstract painters, and consider how this contentious genre has paved the way for contemporary art so loved in present-day homes.
The origins of abstract art
Abstract paintings originated in the early 20th century with the Avant-Garde movements of modern art. A shift from a well-structured and ordered world to the post-World War II chaos of the time gave way to a new way of producing art, traversing the boundaries of traditional artistic expression and ultimately leading to the birth of abstract expressionism. [1]
The most famous abstract painters emerged in the early 1900s, challenging long-held ideas about artwork and how the world should be represented. Art history had not seen this kind of shift in many centuries, and it was not welcomed by everyone. However, the bold novel ideas of its pioneering artists captivated the hearts and minds of viewers, evoking a deep emotional response.
What is abstract art?
Abstract art is highly dependent on geometric shapes, line, color, and form to create a composition that exists apart from the visual references familiar to people, i.e, the artist’s aim is not to represent an accurate visual picture, but rather to convey emotion and experience. The abstract painter no longer tried to represent visual accuracy in their world, but rather reflected the wide diversity of perspective that emerged after the World Wars. [1]
Abstract art as a movement in the art world was heavily influenced by music (especially the jazz era), science, literature, and modern philosophical writings.
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Famous abstract paintings
The world’s most famous abstract paintings are in themselves a highly contentious subject, but the list that follows is widely accepted as being the pioneering artists of true abstraction.
Wassily Kandinsky: The pioneer of abstract art
Kandinsky is generally credited as being one of the pioneers of pure abstraction art. Born in Moscow, he had a late start as a painter at the age of 30. Settling at first in Munich, he returned to Moscow after World War I, and taught at the Bauhaus school of art and architecture until the Nazis closed it in 1933. He then moved to France, producing some of his most prominent work, until he died in 1944.
Wassily’s abstract painting - Composition V, 1911 was seen as the world’s first abstract painting for some time. This was a result of a letter written in 1935, in which the artist himself states that the work is the first of its kind. [2] However, the painting, Untitled: First Abstract Watercolor (1920), is said by others to be the first abstract piece in the history of art. [3] Today, some art historians postulate that this painting was a draft version for Composition VII, which we will discuss later.
Wassily Kandinsky, 1911 - Composition V - Courtesy of wassilykandinsky.net
Kandinsky saw painting as a pathway to spiritual renewal, and in his influential essay, Concerning the Spiritual in Art (1911), he argued that colors and forms possess intrinsic powers that can heal the soul. It was from this place that he created his famous painting, Composition V.
While it appears chaotic and non-representational, the work is deeply symbolic and was created with spiritual intent. The abstract artwork represents a complex view of angelic beings, trumpets, heaven, and the rising dead. Wassily considered it such an achievement that he submitted it to a 1911 exhibition of the Neue Künstlervereinigung München, where it was famously rejected.
The artist explained the subject matter of Composition V in the text of his Cologne lecture of 1914:
‘I calmly chose the Resurrection as the theme of Composition V and the Deluge for the sixth. One needs a certain daring if one is to take such outworn themes as the starting point for pure painting. It was for me a trial of strength, which in my opinion has turned out for the best.’ [4]
In 1913, Kandinsky created a large oil, Composition VII, which is the most monumental and complex painting in Kandinsky's oeuvre of the pre-1914 period. Seen as a product of the artist’s creative development towards total abstraction, the painting is known to contain a highly charged iconographic program based on apocalyptic subjects. [4]
Wassily Kandinsky, 1913 - Composition VII - Courtesy of wassilykandinsky.net
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Piet Mondrian: Order through abstraction
Highly respected amongst abstract artists, Piet Mondrian is considered a foundational figure in this versatile art genre. The Dutch painter was born in the Netherlands in 1872, and because of this, his early works reflect a love for the Dutch landscape. However, his journey led him from representational art to highly purified abstract compositions, which he named neoplasticism.
In 1911, Mondrian moved to Paris, highly influenced by the painting technique of Picasso. Over the next decade, his signature style evolved dramatically, and by 1920, Mondrian was exclusively using horizontal and vertical lines. Influenced by theosophy, he believed that reality has spiritual dimensions and that through art, one could access a higher truth.
Piet Mondrian - Composition with red, blue, and yellow (1921) - Courtesy of piet-mondrian.org
According to the artist's website, this is one of Mondrian’s most famous works. Composition with red, blue, and yellow (1921) shows the artist’s mature style. Featuring an asymmetrical arrangement of color blocks and back lines, the famous artist deliberately created an unbalanced and yet harmonious art piece. Mondrian saw this work as a depiction of the duality of life, structured and yet dynamic.
During the 1930s and 1940s, his work continued to evolve and was particularly affected by his move to New York City and Boogie-Woogie jazz music. [5] This love affair culminated in one of his final and most vibrant pieces, Broadway Boogie Woogie (1942–43). Piet Mondrian’s work significantly influenced the development of minimalism, architecture, and design.
Piet Mondrian (1942-3) - Broadway Boogie Woogie - Courtesy of piet-mondrian.org
This artwork reflects Mondrian’s iconic style and bold use of primary colors and geometric patterns. Depicting the grid-like layout of Manhattan, with its busy intersections and dynamic city blocks, the work depicts the pulsing heartbeat and energy of New York City. The title, Boogie Woogie Broadway, shows how Mondrian moved towards more fun, captivating, and animated ideas towards the end of his life.
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Mark Rothko: Abstract expressionist icon
Mark Rothko was born in Latvia in 1903 and immigrated to America with his family in 1913, settling in Oregon. Moving to New York City in 1923, he became a prominent figure in the world of abstract expressionism.
Best known for color field painting (characterized by large soft-edge blocks floating against a colored background), Rothko sought to bring out explosive emotion on raw canvas. He believed his artwork could elicit deep, fundamental human emotions such as tragedy, rage, ecstasy, and doom.
Considered by many artists today to be the forefather of abstract expressionism, Rothko did not personally ascribe to any one school, but was greatly influenced by the ability to evoke human emotion through his work.
Orange, Red, Yellow, (1961) by Mark Rothko - courtesy of mark-rothko.org
This painting is an emotionally charged work that appears simple, even minimalistic. But the power of the painting lies in its ability to envelop the viewer in a contemplative experience that is anything but simple.
Executed during what many consider the peak of Rothko’s career, it's an accurate depiction of the maturity of his work as a painter. Interested mainly in what the genre evokes, Rothko attained international success as an American painter when this painting sold at auction for $ 86 million. [6]
Jackson Pollock: Choreography of paint
Jackson Pollock was a revolutionary American painter born in Wyoming in 1912. Widely regarded as a prominent figure in abstract expressionism, Pollack is best known for his radical ‘drip painting’ technique.
In the 1940s, Pollock discarded conventional artist tools and instead opted to work with household paint, which he ‘dripped’, ‘poured’, and ‘splattered’ across a canvas he placed on the floor. This technique allowed him to view the artwork from many different angles. This active movement around the canvas and the drama of his technique made him a favorite in action painting.
Critics and viewers find themselves moving between awe and confusion when viewing Pollack’s work. However, the artist himself once said:
‘When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of "get acquainted" period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise, there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.’ [7]
No 5 by Jackson Pollock. Courtesy of jackson-pollock.org
Pollock’s work has been the topic of heated discussions between his critics and his fans. One critic said of his work, " It is mere unorganized explosions of random energy, and therefore meaningless". Others lauded his work as capturing the endless possibilities of life, and showed that beauty is indeed ‘in the eye of the beholder’. In 2006, No. 5 was sold for $140 million, making it one of the most expensive sales of its kind. This was perhaps the best vindication of Pollock’s work.
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Robert Motherwell: Activist artist
Robert Motherwell was set apart from his contemporaries by his love for philosophy and politics as much as his love for art. One of the defining influences on his work was the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), a tragic conflict that pitted the Spanish Republic against fascist forces. Motherwell, although American, felt a profound connection to the fight between democracy and authoritarianism.
Robert Motherwell - Elegy to the Spanish Republic No 110. Courtesy of the Guggenheim.org
This sentiment found visual expression in his most celebrated series, Elegy to the Spanish Republic No 110. Exhibited in the Guggenheim Museum, this painting is one of 150 in a series. The black forms have been interpreted in a number of ways. As soldiers, coffins, weeping figures, and even bulls. Motherwell did not offer an extensive explanation of his work, but the Guggenheim website reports that he said:
‘After a period of painting them, I discovered Black as one of my subjects—and with black, the contrasting white, a sense of life and death which to me is quite Spanish. They are essentially the Spanish black of death contrasted with the dazzle of a Matisse-like sunlight.’
Notable women artists in the abstract genre
From our discussions it may appear that the abstract art genre was dominated by male artists, however, this is not true. A number of notable female artists have been credited with pioneering the techniques and practices that evolved into abstract painting.
Even before Wassily Kandinsky, Hilma Af Klint broke through the glass ceilings of the art world with her pioneering artworks. Af Klint’s work only found notoriety after her passing because she wanted her work kept private until her death. Helen Frankenthaler also deserves a mention for being a major contributor to postwar American painting. Publishing work for over six decades, she continued producing vital and ever-changing work during the course of her life.
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An enduring art form for modern generations
Together, we’ve explored the world of abstract art which forever changed the visual language of painting, allowing emotion, spirit, and experimentation to take center stage over realism. Love it or hate it, its legacy lives on, inspiring the hearts and minds of new generations of artists.
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References:
1. Abstract Art
3. Kandinsky First Abstract Work
6. Expensive works by Mark Rothko
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