There is less to an abstract work of art than one would at first observe: the power of simplicity in abstract art
There is less to an abstract work of art than one would at first observe: the power of simplicity in abstract art
Abstract art has been known to celebrate this trend of stripping down complex forms and ideas into their most basic elements for many years. At the heart of this movement is a principle that simply stated can bring profound meaning-a thing oft summarized in the phrase, "Less is more." Now, to those who might think this a little strange, it seems that when stripped of all things fancy, abstract art doesn't lack for depth or creativity. Abstract artists who mainly focus on minimalism and pure expression also leave space for the viewer's imagination to engage with the work, allowing for much more dynamic and personalized interaction.
Abstract art that focuses on the shape, line, and color utilizes the power instead of details that happen to elaborate on the figurative expression. One of the most famous minimalist artists, Kazimir Malevich, painted one of the most famous pieces, Black Square, in 1915, to demonstrate that one simple naked shape could hold lots of points of interpretation. His works do not speak in that traditional storytelling form, but they ask the observer to generate their own feeling and thoughts regarding the minimal visual stimuli.
Abstract artists reduce the complexity of a composition to the bare bones, thus requiring the viewer to see beyond the level of the surface and into higher meanings. Simplicity can be a way towards an absolute universality by avoiding the confines that particular cultural or social references would bring; the individual looking at the art becomes the filter through his or her very own lens.
The Effect of Negative Space
Negative space is one of the characteristics of simplicity in abstract art. With parts of the blank canvas left "white," the shapes and lines bring attention. Intentional absences create an appropriate balance between what's seen and what's implied to be seen. The observer must fill in the blanks with imagination, provoking harmony and contemplation.
It also speaks for something to be existing, a negative space. At a time where stimuli and visual clutter abound in the world, abstract art which is simple presents a retreat. It reminds us that sometimes it is there in the quietness of the moment and in those between the lines where truly powerful things reside.
The Emotional Connection
Although abstract art may take minimal action in terms of its execution, the impact it makes to the viewer is never minimum. The absence of apparent details prompts one's introspection, and each person has the power to give a space his feelings and experience. A few strokes of colors may produce an entire gamut of emotions from serenity to tension, from gladness to sadness.
It is in abstract art simplicity speaks to the human experience at its most raw. Once artists take hard emotions and ideas and reduce them into simple shapes, lines, and colors, they would have tapped the universal truths that hit home with an assortment of people.
Conclusion:
The Beauty of Simplicity. The beauty of power of simplicity is that it is able to give depth in a meaning without much articulated use of elements. In a way, it gives a whole of opportunity to both the artist and viewer. It leaves out distraction and allows the essential message or emotion through clearly. Whereas there is so much complexity in today's world, in abstract art, "less is more" reminds one that sometimes the most profound statements are the ones said with the least number of words.
There is less to an abstract work of art than one would at first observe: the power of simplicity in abstract art
