Since the early 20th Century, abstract art has formed a central factor of modern art. Strictly speaking, the word abstract means to separate or withdraw something from something else. But it's also a provocative form of art, born with the intent to give more freedom to means of representing the world. If you want to discover more about the main protagonists behind the abstract movement, don't miss our article "A History of Abstract Art"!
Abstract art uses a visual language in which the representation of things from the visible world plays no part. It is open to interpretation, and that is one of the magical things about it. Abstract art gives you the freedom to explore the artwork and give to your own meaning the piece. It requires you to have an open mind; you must enter the painting and see where it takes you. It is an exploration of form, colors, shapes, line, texture, pattern, composition and process. Meaning is derived from how these formal qualities are used to create a visual experience. Incidentally, specific colours can play a crucial role in abstract art, as explored in our article Colour in Abstract Art.
You should look at an abstract artwork in the same way that you would listen to music. When you listen to it, you don't try to recognize the notes, but let them wash over you. Let your eyes dance around the piece, because understanding abstract art requires a certain intuition that invites you to discover for yourself the meaning behind the work. It is not as easy to absorb and understand such as other artistic genres like still life, portraiture or other forms of representational art, because it is open to interpretation in a way that representational art is not.
In order to show you where to start discovering the lastest developments in the abstract art field, we have selected a couple of artists for you to scroll through. Lose yourself among the abstract shapes with Kooness: Brenda Biondo, Luuk De Haan, Janise Yntema, Tenesh Webber.
Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for color, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential. (Wassily Kandinsky)
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