After a long absence from this, I have returned for more. The topic I've drawn tonight from my lucky fishing hat is Abstract Expressionism.
Think of this as an expansion of my last blog.
Abstract Expressionism can be thought of as an expansion of Surrealism's principles; that is, it depends on the subconscious of the artist. The difference between the two lies in that Surrealism relies on recognizable, though not necessarily realistic, images rendered in improbable ways while Abstract Expressionism strives to render forms that are entirely new. Bear in mind, this is all relative; Willem de Kooning did a series of "Woman" paintings that are considered Abstract Expressionist works while Joan Miro was considered a Surrealist when he made work that was more in tune with Abstract Expressionism. There is a fine line between Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, that much can be ascertained.
So what is the goal of Abstract Expressionism? To express oneself without the confusion of subject matter. This is why I hestitate to call de Kooning an Abstract Expressionist, because he created violent images of women. This possibly would suggest something about the state of his own sanity, or possibly he's showing us a different way to view the form of women. There are further problems here; the subject matter distracts the viewer from the painting itself when the painting should be the ultimate focus.
Who is the first Abstract Expressionist painter? I believe it is Wassily Kandinsky. Others may disagree with me wholeheartedly, but I am firm in my belief on this. He meets all of the criteria: he expressed himself freely on the canvas while creating imagery meant to exist on its own. In his writing, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Kandinsky said, "Colour is a power which directly influences the soul. Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammer, the soul is the strings.The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul." To me, this man embodied everything that Abstract Expressionism stands for.
I readily admit that I talk a lot about painters, but nowhere near enough about 3-D artists. So, I'll give credit where credit's due: Peter Voulkos was one hell of an artist. He made great strides in tearing down ceramics as the world knew it and turning it into something that's to be respected. Sevillanas is one hell of a sculpture. So is Soleares II.
Jackson Pollock, I believe he needs no explanation. He was a genius. Let's move on.
The problem I have with many Abstract Expressionist works is that I feel they lack harmony. Many of them, the colors feel extremely unbalanced to them. I believe this may have to do with the spontaneous nature of Abstract Expressionism, even though there really is much planning involved in creating Abstract Expressionist work, probably more than any other form.
What do I want to take from Abstract Expressionism? I don't want to be an Abstract Expressionist, per se. What I would like to take from it is the spontaneous nature of the work and the exploration of my own mind. Meanwhile, I would like to inject into it a more balanced sense of color harmony like Cezanne's work had.
End: Blog #4
Tags: Art Abstract Expressionism
