Thread: Absract & Expressionism

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but not all are equally well informed. As a result a lot of people may be missing out on a lot of beauty.
There are many people that critique art and have an auto response to abstract art and expressionism.
On one hand I get aggravated. For if they were educated, not meaning stupid, just not well informed. Some of the principles that go into abstract art are what the picture relies on to get it's meaning across. Some misconceptions are that a painting has to look like something. It has to be perceived to be an object. But that is the beauty of expressionism. Feeling. Feeling through color, design and of coarse composition. All of which could be enjoyed by all if they were to drop the outlook that a painting has to look like a photograph.
Just like a good photographer or realism painter, let the artist do the work so the uneducated can enjoy abstract art just as I would enjoy my ignorant compilation of the orchestra.
Break out of that shell! That is what I wish. For can't an abstract painting portray a feeling as does a photograph?
I just had to get this off my back. I enjoy painting abstract work and most peoples first response is...what is that suppose to be? Well look at it!!! What do you feel. Don't rely on your damn visual conception of what something should or should not be!

You know...you are right hun...but you just have to accept the fact that MOST of the population is ignorant. And when you come to this realization then you are no longer bothered by their dumbass comments, because they ARE ignorant. I've had to deal with this in ALOT of different aspects, not just art. Yeah alot of people don't get art, because they don't care enough to "get it"...just like they don't get a poem, or a song.

I really do wish people would take the time to be a little less fucking ignorant. But what can you do?






ps - kill all the arabs because they are all terrorists!!!

There is an amazing film you should watch if you are into abstract art:-

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919)





It came out of the German Expressionism from that era and it pre-dates films like The Crow and Dark City, the most gothic and expressionist movie i've ever seen, its like poetry in motion, a painting that breaks out of the frame.

Originally posted by Mystical_Journey
There is an amazing film you should watch if you are into abstract art:-

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919)

It came out of the German Expressionism from that era and it pre-dates films like The Crow and Dark City, the most gothic and expressionist movie i've ever seen, its like poetry in motion, a painting that breaks out of the frame.

Thanks Mystical_Journey!! I have never heard of that movie. I will have to look it up.

You are right Aquanina. I really shouln't let it bother me. I don't mind ignorance. Everyone is ignorant in many facets of our lives. I guess it is just being aware of when you are & when you aren't.

I once wrote an essay on abstract expressionism that links to what you are saying, i dunno if you might find it interesting at all but here goes:-

"Avant-Garde is not to far from the styles of German expressionism and surrealism. The surreal and avant-garde can be expressed through symbols, symbols that are infused with an inner depth, an inner depth that translates through to the audience on an individual level that relates to their own judgements, their own belief system and their own values and/or philosophy. The term 'symbol' refers to the representation of the image that reflects something abstract".

"Avant-garde expresses its themes by pushing the rules generally accepted by classical forms and engages the audience beyond the traditional values of 'art'. The audience engage with the image and use their own intelligence and own perception to gain a meaning or metaphor".

"The most significant experimental art deals with issues and themes that dig beneath the surface of the image and tunnels itself into a deeper metaphor of meaning. A peice of 'art' that finds its own understanding beyond the visuals. This is intrinsic for experimental cinema".

"By subconsciously subverting customary forms of communication it alienates its audience and thereby gains an individual organic nature that corresponds to the audiences own individualism. The unusually undefined image subjects itself to a subconscious interpretation, that is why a definition of this form is naturally impossible. If an image relates both to the conscious and subconscious it evokes emotions on two interconnected levels" ---

Now i look back at what i wrote it does appear to be slightly ""%"(%£_)"(%$£_%£_"

Wow. That is very interesting. I love it. Again, the beauty of art shows it's face. Here I am pointing the finger at the ignorant and I find myself seeing another vantage point.
I looked at abstract art as using the fundamentals of art and such elements as line, contour, compostion, color, etc. etc.......Then manipulating it to portray a feeling to the viewer by which they may not fundamentally understand.
Your take is a much deeper look into how abstract expressionism can be interpreted. >

Originally posted by Mystical_Journey
By subconsciously subverting customary forms of communication it alienates its audience and thereby gains an individual organic nature that corresponds to the audiences own individualism. The unusually undefined image subjects itself to a subconscious interpretation, that is why a definition of this form is naturally impossible. If an image relates both to the conscious and subconscious it evokes emotions on two interconnected levels

This could explain why some works of art can be appealing to the eye, yet rely on no fundamentals or principles of design.

That is some great stuff Mystical_Journey!!! .

Thanks for the comments Howetzer

Its very cool to speak to someone who is also interested in Abstract and Expressionist art.

I love that feeling when you look at somthing and you cant understand it on the surface, you look at if for a few more seconds/mintues and you have to dig deep into the core of yourself before you get an understanding of what you are looking at.



Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Stuff like this is really cool.

That is a very cool picture. IS that the painting of his that sold for some crazy amount. Millions????
Sometimes you don't even have to look real deep to get a sensation or extract an emotion out of a painting.
Our brain wants to organize things, and tries. So like you said you can also look deeper into a painting and realize there is more to it that you originally thought.
And then sometimes you can perceive a painting one way and get another vision another time, a week.. month later.
Cool stuff!

Another thing to consider is not only whether a person is ignorant or not, but what senses they may be more sensitive with when it comes to the "arts"

For example, when I look at something like a Pollock painting, I don't instantly get the "feeling" or "mood" that may have been the intention. Sometimes I just look at it and think "wow, cool texture". Since I'm an artist myself, however, I do respect it for what it is and the work that went into it. Maybe it's my art training that "desensetized" me a bit? Who knows, maybe not.

BUT

When it comes to the art of music, I am usually way quicker to pick up either somekind of mood, feeling, memory or something that effects me. I'm also a musician, but for me it's more of a passion and hobby - maybe music came to me more naturally, hence, I'm more "in tune" (pardon the pun) with this kind of sensory imput.

EXAMPLE - lets compare a Pollock painting to modern jazz.

Someone could easily look at a Pollock and think "wooh, what a mess" - same can go for Jazz , "what is all that noise! The notes don't match or fall within any scale!". Now, I personally don't enjoy much of the modern jazz myself, but I still pick up certain "vibes" or feelings if I were to listen to it. The process for both is quite the same - spontanaety yet complexity. Yet, one seems to have more of affect on me than the other.

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Stuff like this is really cool.[/b]

You know, to me, that looked like a rock concert. Please don't ask me why i felt that, cos i don't know...