Role of Movement and Energy in Abstract Art

Role of Movement and Energy in Abstract Art

Role of Movement and Energy in Abstract Art

Abstract art is referred to as concentrating on form, color, and emotion rather than realist presentation, which can be very visual in effect, such as movement and energy directed at the viewer. These two elements of abstract art have been focused on: movement and energy, given the action and observation of these representations to illustrate emotions, ideas, and an inside artist's world. But in application, how are these so strong and why?


Movement in Abstract Art
In abstract art, movement is often not of a physical sense but rather an implication of action or change. It could be conveyed through dynamic lines and sweeping brushstrokes; the placement of forms which evoke liquid flow also implies fluidity and direction. The movement may be explosive with sharp jagged lines leaping across the canvas or it can be gentle smooth gradients and rounded curves leading around the work.

Wassily Kandinsky, through history, is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated abstract artists. He was a great pioneer who used movement in his work. He wanted lines, shapes, colors, to paint the sensation of movement. Many of his paintings produce an illusion of rhythm; the canvas seems as though it were alive. For Kandinsky, abstract forms could transcend the realm of the eye, inducing interior emotions and thoughts that words could not express.


Energy in Abstract Art
Energy in abstract art is the force or intensity that the work conveys. Energy can be colored boldness, heavy paint, or otherwise strong composition. Energy in abstract art speaks to feeling-it could be frenetic energy evoked by a chaotic piece or calm energy that could be evoked by a more peaceful piece. Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, for example, clearly used energy to speak to turmoil in their souls and peaceful calmness in their souls, respectively.

For instance, Pollock's famous "drip" paintings express raw, un-contained energy visually. His paintings appear to be charged with movement, as the splatters and drips appear to pull the viewer into a free-falling spiral of movement. Rothko, on the other hand, painted large blocks of color to create the impression of still energy, as if the viewer is sucked into meditative experience approaching transcendence.

Conclusion
Movement and energy characterize the abstract piece, underlying emotional content, thoughts, and state of the mind about the artist. These elements call out for a viewer to experience art on an even more primordial, global scale, engaging the mind but also touching the senses. Whether on the chaotic plane of Pollock or smooth movement on the plane of Kandinsky, the power of abstract art lies in its ability to make visible that which is invisible: emotion, thought, and energy.

Role of Movement and Energy in Abstract Art

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.