Abstract Art is More Than Shapes And Colors

There are many opinions people have surrounding abstract art. Some people say it is not real art and is almost an insult to the artistic genre. Others see the beauty in the abstract and appreciate the rhythm, balance and unity that goes into arranging a piece of abstract art. All art forms are a form of communication and abstract art has its own place in the transmission. 

This type of art uses shapes and colors and places them in a way that conveys meaning and emotion. Abstract art invites viewers to construct their own interpretation of the art piece’s message. Allowing the viewer to come up with their own idea on what a piece of art is about, allows the viewer to experience a deeply personal connection to the work.

"Abstract art was the equivalent of poetic expression; I didn't need to use words, but colors and lines". 

-Etel Adnan

Tableau I, 1921 by Piet Mondrian

Abstract Art vs Conventional Thinking

Abstract art as a concept is hard for some people to grasp. The art style bends all of the rules of art and tells unconventional stories. It breaks the traditional rules of artistic form. Shapes take on different means, colors blend together. The art style forces artists and views to think differently about what they are creating or viewing. Abstract art encourages and stimulates the imagination.

Abstract art is a rebellious art style. The sharpness of the shapes are like daggers, cutting through the conventional idea of what art is supposed to look like. The style took the world by storm after emerging in the 1950s after World War II. The high energy of the painting added some color to the bleakness of the world at the time.

Emotional Expression in Abstract Art

A perk of abstract art is its ability to evoke emotions just through the use of shapes and colors. Every color and placement of a brushstroke is well thought out and purposeful. Feelings of joy, sadness, anger and jealousy can all be stirred up in a viewer’s or creator’s mind while looking at an abstract piece.

Wassily Kandinsky, better known as the pioneer of Abstract art explained that painting was deeply spiritual for him. He used abstractaction to capture the spirituality and deepness of human emotions. The fragmented pieces of shapes and colors were used to represent intangible or unexplainable feelings.

Color Study. Squares with Concentric Circles, 1913 by Wassily Kandinsky

Abstract Art’s Effect on Modern Art

Abstract art has been able to escape the bonds of its own genre. The art style has influenced movements like minimalism and expressionism. Abstract art has broken the idea that art has to be solely realistic to be good and meaningful. The rebalist nature of abstract art paved the way for new art genres and experiments to emerge. 

Art is about expression, imagination and creativity, and at its core, abstract art is just that. Even though everyone might not understand it, its influence and impact on the art scene can not be ignored.