A response to modernism: The development of Abstraction by Odilia Bird 

I have chosen the topic of Abstract art because I believe that this is a fascinating approach to art that I feel connected to and that has influenced myself and my work. The Tate describes Abstract art as 'art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of visual reality but instead uses shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect' (tate.org.uk, no date) and I believe that abstract art is one of the foundations for the Modernism Movement, 'a global movement in society and culture that from the early decades of the 20th century sought a new alignment with the experience and values of modern industrial life (tate.org.uk, No date) and the modern art that we see today. 

(primordial Chaos, 1906)

Wassily Kandinsky is often seen as the father of abstract art and many believe that he was the first artist to paint an abstract piece in 1911. However, a Swedish painter named Hilma Af Klint created an abstract painting dated as early as 1906. Klint was born in 1862 in Stockholm, Sweden, and attended the cities 'Royal Academy of Fine Arts' as she was fortunate enough to be born into a country that allowed women to study art, (Julia Voss, Tate.org.uk, 2019) and graduated in 1887. From a young age Klint was involved spiritualism and was later interested in ideas such as Rosicrucianism, 'a 17th and 18th century movement professing esoteric and occult wisdom with emphasis on mysticism and spiritual enlightenment', (merriam-webster.com, 2024) Theosophy, 'a philosophy combining mysticism and spiritualism with metaphysics. The Society was fashioned as a 'brotherhood' promoting unity. The Society was also concerned with preparing the world for the coming of the 'World Teacher' when he arrived on Earth.' (the Open University, No date) and Anthroposophy, 'The study of the human being, our nature and development and task (sydneyrudolfsteinercollege.com, no date) which heavily influenced and inspired her abstract work. Klints conventional paintings were a part of many exhibitions during her lifetime, however, Her non figurative works were only shown in Anthroposophical and Theosophical context. Sadly, it took decades for her work to gain serious attention but in 1986 her works were included in the Survey Exhibition: 'The Spiritual in Art' at the 'Los Angeles County Museum of Art' which greatly increased the interest in her esoteric works. Today, her work is regularly displayed at important museums across the world. ( the Hilma Af Klint foundation, No date)

Her first series of abstract works was named 'Primordial chaos' and includes 26 small canvases that illustrate the birth of the world. (Guggenheim.org, No date) One of these paintings particularly stands out to me, this image is a mass of twisting and curving lines that weave and interlock with each other. Every aspect of this painting is connected, and I believe that this painting mirrors human behaviour, emotion and the world we live in, as humans we are all connected with each other in some way, much like this painting. I believe that the circles of yellow act as a focal point and against the blue background I think that it is very reminiscent of the sun, acting as a burst of light, a beacon for the viewer. I believe that having this beacon nestled within the chaos invokes a feeling of hope within the painting, reminding the viewer that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I think that the spiralled lines that make their way from one corner of the painting to the other are messy and naive, as if a child has scribbled on their bedroom walls or chalk on the pavement, and I think that this emphasises the aspect of creation within this piece. A child is the embodiment of creation and life and I believe that the painting captures this innocence and wonder in a very effective way. The spiral motion is reminiscent of a double helix that can be found not only in DNA but also in space, this piece mimics and captures every aspect of life, even down to the human biology. I think that the colours that have been used compliment each other and allow all the different tones to stand out, and beneath the chaos the mixture of blue hues provide a sense of freedom. I believe that the way the marks seem to burst out from the middle of the canvas to represent light reminds me of the way in which light is shown in religious paintings. 

(Black Square, 1917)

 Kazimir Severinovich Malevich was born in 1879 in Kiev, and lived during the First World War. He was an avant guard artist and art theorist, his work and writing influenced the development of abstract art in the 20th century. Malevich developed a concept named Suprematism that 'sought to develop a form of expression that moved as far as possible from the world of natural forms and subject matter in order to access "the supremacy of pure feeling" and spirituality'. Malevich worked with a variety of styles early on and was a part of movements such as Expressionism, 'A theory or practice in art seeking to depict the subjective emotions and responses that objects arouse in that artist' (Merriam-Webster.com, 2024) Symbolism, 'The art or practice of using symbols' (Merriam-webster.com, 2024)  Fauvism, 'a style of painting the flourished in France around the turn of the 20th century, Fauve artists use pure brilliant colour aggressively applied straight fro the paint tubes to create a sense of explosion on the canvas' (britannica.com, Amy Tikkanen, No date) and cubism, 'an early 20th century style and movement in art, especially painting, in which perspective with a single viewpoint was abandoned and use was made of simple geometric shapes, interlocking planes and collage'. (Oxford Languages, No date) (Tate.org.uk, No date) Some of his most famous works showcased an exploration of pure, geometrical forms and their relationships with each other and the pictorial space. (theartstory.org, No date)

One of Malevich's most famous paintings is 'Black square' painted in 1915, made with thick black paint on a canvas. Malevich wanted to break free of the confines of representational art and in doing so he created one of the most radical pieces of the time. (magazine.aertland.com, No date) When first looking at this piece the contrast between the black centre and the white edges instantly stands out, the white edges allow the black to jump out and draws the eye. I believe that this piece invokes an atmosphere of mystery, it is a rejection of the art concepts of the time, and because of this it is so far removed from reality, that the viewer is able to see shape and form in its purist. I think that because this piece is so seemingly basic it allows the piece to be open to interpretation, there is no singular meaning. The black void that this painting creates is enchanting and entices the viewer in, acting as a black hole consuming its surroundings. I believe that this piece is also a critique of the art works and movements of the time, people and society make the world complicated. They are always striving for more and for perfection at the expense of others and I believe that this piece was a way to counteract this mindset. It brings art back down to its bare bones and it doesn't overcomplicate things. It is simple and beautiful. When looking closer at the painting the texture on the surface can be seen, these jagged lines make their way across the canvas almost like a lightning strike. This is due to the painting cracking over time, (publicdomainreview.org, 2022, Andrew Spira) which I believe lines up with his ideology and concept of suprematism. The cracking that his painting has endured is a natural process and creates an expanse of geometrical shapes across the surface of the piece.

(There were seven in eight, 1945) 

Jackson Pollock was born in Wyoming in 1912 and in 1929 he studied at the Students League in New York under Thomas Hart Benton, and was a leading advocate for the abstract expressionism movement. (britannica.com, Francis Valentine O'connor, 2024) Early on in his life Pollock had experience with Native American culture while he was on surveying trips with his father and some believe that this may have influenced his later works. (Jackson-pollock.org, No date) He was also exposed to metaphysical and occult spirituality through Frederick John de St Brain Schwankovsky who was a member of the Theosophical society. During his life Pollock received great recognition for his use of the pouring and drip technique where he would pour or drip paint onto a flat canvas in stages. Unfortunately, later on in his life Pollock struggled with alcoholism. He was described as gentle and contemplative when sober, but violent when drunk and this can be seen in his work. (britannica.com, Francis Valentine O'Connor, 2024)

I believe that Pollocks painting 'There Were Seven in Eight' is an example of the influence of emotion within an abstract painting. It is a flurry of colours and shapes and the marks that have been made feel raw and full of emotion. Pollock has stated that with this painting he started with recognisable imagery but chose to cover up and 'veil it', (Jackson-pollock.org, There Were Seven in Eight, No date) and I believe that this adds an atmosphere of mystery to the painting. The longer you look, you can begin to see fragments of faces and bodies, but they are not solid, they seem to float and move across the cavas to create a distorted yet whimsical scene. When looking at this piece I think that the colours that have been used paired with the fragmentation across are reminiscent of stained glass windows and I believe that this causes the painting to emanate an almost holy feeling, drawing the viewer in and leaving them in awe. I think that the black marks in this painting provide a contrast to the other lighter colours and allow the piece to have a sense of depth. I believe that the rough marks and lines that have been used cause this piece to feel chaotic and wild. I think that the deformed and distorted heads feel distraught and in despair, they look as if they are clawing at their faces and screaming out at the the viewer for help, this could be an emotional response to Pollocks struggle with alcoholism coming through in his work. I think that this piece is beautiful and full of turmoil, and the headspace and emotions of the artist can be clearly seen.

The Georgia Museum of Art defines Neo abstraction as a movement that 'highlights the resurgence of abstract art among contemporary artists. (georgiamuseum.org, 2021)

(Monster, 2009)

Mark Bradford is a contemporary artist known for his large scale abstract paintings made from paper. Bradfords work often explore social and political structures that objectify marginalised communities and the bodies of vulnerable populations. Bradford was born in 1961 in Los Angeles and through his childhood he worked in his mothers beauty salon where he developed a curiosity in artistic expression. After leaving high school Bradford travelled Europe and his experience visiting museums and viewing art left a lasting impression that inspired him to begin his education in the arts formally. Bradford attended the 'California Institute of the Arts' in Valencia, and in 1995 received his BFA. In 1997 he received his MFA, his first solo exhibition was named 'Floss' and was held at the San Francisco Art Institutes Walter and McBean Galleries in 1998. His most recent exhibition named 'Los Angeles' Was held at the 'Long Museum West Bung', Shanghai in 2019. (hauserwirth.com, no date)

His 2009 abstract piece named 'Monster' is created from acrylic, carbon paper, twine, paper, printed materials and mixed media. (ideelart.com, 2020) When looking at this piece the two colours that have been used the most are black and white, providing a contrast to each other and this then allows the small use of bright colours such as orange,  blue and yellow to really stand out against the monochrome background. This piece is a flurry of curves and lines and I believe that there is something chaotic about this piece. It feels angry and intense and I think that the lines in this piece are reminiscent of claw or scratch marks, as if someone or something has been relentlessly scratching at the canvas. I believe that this work could be a response to the social injustice that is prevalent in the world and this could be a representation of an individual finally letting out their pent up frustrations and anger. I believe that the small darker sections scattered across this work enhance this idea and atmosphere of frustration as it seems as if the sections have been violently clawed out. However, I believe that they add a feeling of despair to the piece. These black holes are dark and void and could be a metaphor for an individual finally giving up and sinking into nothingness, and I believe that the small flashes of colour that have been used are a way to counter balance this feeling and provide light and hope amongst the chaos. There is something raw and visceral about this piece and I believe that it invokes strong emotion within the viewer, the black, white and grey tones allow this piece to feel natural and authentic as if it was carved into the rock face or a cave wall. 

I believe that abstraction as a philosophy has endured and changed over the years. Incredible artists such as Klint, Malevich and Pollock have influenced and challenged the movement as well as pushed it into new directions. However, the foundation and core of the movement to allow freedom of expression is clear in all the their work. I believe that this movement will continue to develop and blossom and produce artwork that is full of emotion and expression.

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