Abstraction or abstracting is a process of extracting or removing. In art, it refers to removing an object and subject from actuality or reality. The form has been simplified. Many of times geometrical shapes are the ones that can carry that visual aesthetic. Therefore, they have been used a lot in abstract creation, specifically painting.
Gestural marks can also carry that quality, as they are done by unrestricted movement of the hands, causing a result defined by the randomness paint splash. The action of paint splattering led to a movement derived from abstraction – abstract expressionism. Pouring paint directly from the canvas is also a notion of that style. Each layer of paint is a release of pent-up emotion, and the viewer can read and experience it in their own way.
Another branch of abstract expressionism is colour field painting. Furthering away from personal and gestural approach, colour field painting is characterized by large areas of a more or less flat single colour.
Other terms associated with abstraction art are concrete art and non-objective art. Concrete art is free of any form represented in reality and has no symbolism. The term comes from Theo Van Doesburg who wrote in his 1930 Manifesto of Concrete that there was nothing more concrete or more real than a line, a colour or a plane (flat area of colour). Non-objective art on the other hand aims to convey a sense of simplicity and purity with its forms. It was inspired by Plato who believed that geometry was the highest representation of beauty. Purity and simplicity are thought of as moral virtues and the movement tried to represent that feeling in a tangible way. In 1960’s American artists began to raise this idea to an aesthetic level with the use of industrial materials, which later led to minimal art.
Abstract art is the central movement of modernism.
Audrey Fine Art has a strong representation of abstract artists in the portfolio. Each one of them has developed a specific style of incorporating the idea removing the subjects and objects from their real form.
PETER GRIFFEN
Peter Griffen takes an abstract approach to Australian landscape. Peter is inspired by the serendipity of abstract expressionism. In his works he portrays the bush with the means of gestural marks. With a background in geography, he maps the places he visits with symbols and forms. Yet from a distance they may seem like purely abstract creations. By simplifying the colour and form, each layer of paint gains an emotional quality to rather concise element.
CONCHITA CARAMBANO
Conchita Carambano creates paintings that are abstract and enigmatic, steering away from recognizable forms. Similarly, to Peter Griffen, Conchita is inspired by the Australian land. It is the experience of both good and bad everyday occurrences that drives Conchita to paint, highlighting the emotionality of the expression. The feelings take over control. The given visual material can then create new medium for other feelings to be experienced by the viewer.
GRAHAM KUO
Graham Kuo practices abstractionism influenced by his Chinese cultural heritage – calligraphy and philosophy. His language of expression is gestural and lyrical. The canvases feature bold colours which possess a flow remaining beautiful and elegant. The movement of the strokes refer to calligraphy, defining the work and making it stand out, away from actuality or reality.
SCOTT THOMLINSON
Scott Thomlinson is a great example of colour field painting. The single colours composed together form simplified abstract shapes. The purity of the configurations pushes his oeuvre towards minimalism, yet the colours stem far from it. It is the beauty of contemporary art to be able to flow and create in many styles at the same time, blurring the line between art and design.