Amorphous Art Makes You Think
Abstract art is a genre that can be daunting. Because the images do not necessarily depict something concrete or obvious, one may feel overwhelmed in interpreting the images. Upon entering the Abstract Expressionism exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it is easy to understand how one may feel this way. With a little patience and the help of the nearby piece descriptions, one can appreciate the open ended nature of abstract art.
The abstract art exhibition was an enjoyable one. It was not overly esoteric; it was something that a lay person without an art background could understand and enjoy. The images did not depict specific scenes, so one could really get involved in deciphering the deeper meaning behind the works.
Some pieces were especially enjoyable to dissect. Athene by Jack Tworkov was a colorful piece featuring an abstract representation of the goddess of war. Shades of blue, orange, and black played a part as the dominant colors.
Other pieces featured oil paints that created another dimension to the art; the color is the most apparent part of these pieces, but when one is up close to the work, the texture is apparent. In an oil painting produced by Robert Goodnough in 1952, a landscape with mountains and clouds is implied. The painting has 3 dimensions as the oil paints have their own texture and thickness. Similarly in Mecca by Hans Hofmann, oil paint on canvas is manipulated to create texture. The blocks of color feature portions where the paint is raised at least a ½ inch above the surface of the canvas. There is a certain grainy-ness to the picture, especially where the artist stippled on the paint.
There were those pieces that were reminiscent of more contemporary art styles. Some of the pieces included elements that were comparable to those found in graffiti art. In Willem de Kooning’s painting Attic, a layered painting technique was used to create multiple layers of art. Canvas, newspaper, enamel, and oil paints were used in the innovative technique. Because the white paint was not completely opaque, you could still see where the newspaper lies in some areas. There are minimal splashes of color amid harsh black lines. These geometric yet soft black lines remind me of the outlines of graffiti tags. The untitled piece by Morris Louis featured magna on canvas in stripes of color at the corners of the painting were reminiscent of spray paint. The triangular stripes of color which seem to look drippy and runny look like the work of an artist trying to spray paint for the first time.
Even the most seemingly simple of paintings can evoke much interpretation. In Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 35 Robert Motherwell utilizes oil and magna on canvas. The black circles and tubes on the white background are dominant, with some gold patches in spots. The light and dark may represent life and death. The tubular composition may also be phallic symbolism of some sort.