Abstractionist by Asmodelle.
The abstractionist painting was born in Russia in the early twentieth century. The precursor of abstraction in painting was Wassily Kandinsky, however, the very notion of abstraction in art, and not only in art accompanied people since forever.
Abstractionist is the exclusion of all kinds of forms – frameworks that are supposed to define objects, perspectives and scales. Painters and other artists of this period rejected the names of the specific shapes, adapted for years. They replaced lines with the spot and vertical with level. Abstractionism was born as a result of a few already known fields of art: cubism, futurism and impressionism, the trends very similar to each other. The greatest representatives of abstraction began as the creators of those three directions.
The first abstract painting was the work of Kandinsky “Abstract watercolor” and the most famous creator of this trend is Edvard Munch (known mainly as the author of the famous expressionist painting “The Scream”), representative of the so-called non-geometric abstraction, more precisely abstract expressionism. Non-geometric abstractionism includes also: kinetics and color planes painting. Geometric abstraction includes suprematism, De Stijl, minimal art, optical art, constructivism, neoplasticism and Bauhaus school. Those individual trends are associated with different types of nationalities and groups of painters, which were formed in various European countries. Neoplasticism was popular in Netherlands, and constructivism was popular in Russia. Because of the difficulties with reception of these works abstractionism is not the most popular art trend among the masses. Identifying the purpose and intention of the painter is very difficult because of the fact that there are no common rules and there is no typically, like for example in impressionism, capturing of everyday life. Painted apple does not in this case resembled the shape and color of the fruit, which we all know.
Abstractionism, a pivotal movement in the history of modern art, brought about a radical departure from traditional notions of representation, transforming our understanding of what constitutes art. Rather than replicating or mimicking the observable world, abstractionists sought to express a more internal, subjective reality, thereby pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and paving the way for a host of avant-garde movements.
The origins of abstractionism can be traced back to the early 20th century with artists such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. These pioneers of abstract art rejected the mimetic paradigm of art-making and instead began to explore non-objective and non-representational forms. They embraced a language of shapes, lines, and colors that transcended the literal, bringing into focus the idea of the ‘abstractionist’ – an artist who communicates through symbols, concepts, and emotions rather than recognizable images.
The abstractionist in art operates on the principle of ‘art for art’s sake.’ Here, art is not merely an imitation of nature, but a self-contained entity with its inherent meaning and aesthetic value. The abstractionist challenges the conventional viewer’s expectation of understanding art as a mirror to the world. Instead, they invite the viewer into a dialogue, into a process of discovery where meaning is not given but derived from personal interpretation and emotional response.
One defining characteristic of the abstractionist’s approach is the emphasis on the fundamental elements of art – color, shape, line, and form. Stripped of representational context, these elements are rearranged, distorted, or isolated to create novel visual experiences that provoke thought and elicit emotion. Abstractionists like Mark Rothko, for example, used large color fields to evoke a sense of the sublime, transcending the physicality of the artwork to engage viewers on a deeply emotional level.
Abstractionism also highlights the process of creation as an integral part of the artwork. For the abstractionist, the act of painting or sculpting becomes a dynamic event, an expressive performance that leaves a tangible trace on the canvas or in the sculptural form. This focus on the creative process, on the artist’s interaction with their materials, further distances abstract art from the mimetic tradition, underscoring the autonomy and authenticity of the artwork.
In conclusion, the abstractionist in art represents a radical shift in artistic vision and methodology. By moving away from the literal and the representational, abstractionists have broadened the scope of artistic expression, introducing new possibilities for communicating human experiences and emotions. The abstractionist’s approach to art has had a profound and lasting impact on the art world, continuing to inspire and challenge artists to this day.
