Abstract art employs the visual language of shape, form, color, and line to produce a composition that is free of visual cues from the outside world. From the Renaissance to the middle of the nineteenth century, Western art was based on the logic of perspective and an attempt to recreate the illusion of visible reality. Many artists felt compelled to develop a new sort of art towards the end of the nineteenth century, one that would encompass the fundamental changes in technology, science, and philosophy. Individual painters took their theoretical reasoning from a variety of sources, which mirrored social and intellectual preoccupations in many aspects of Western society at the period.
Non-figurative art, non-objective art, and non-representational art are all phrases that are used interchangeably. They are similar, yet they may not have the same meaning.
In the depiction of imagery in art, abstraction denotes a break from reality. This deviation from true representation can be minor, significant, or comprehensive. Abstraction exists on a scale of one to ten. Even art that strives for the utmost level of verisimilitude might be considered abstract, at least in theory, because perfect representation is unachievable. Artwork that takes liberties, such as changing colour and form in noticeable ways, is said to be somewhat abstract. There is no trace of anything identifiable in total abstraction. There are few references to naturalistic beings in geometric abstraction, for example. Figurative art and absolute abstraction are nearly incompatible. However, partial abstraction is frequently found in figurative and representational (or realistic) art.
Both geometric and lyrical abstraction are frequently completely abstract. For example, fauvism, which alters the forms of real-life entities depicted, and cubism, which alters the forms of real-life entities depicted, are two of the many art movements that incorporate partial abstraction.
So, if you've been on the internet recently, you've probably noticed the plethora of acrylic pouring videos that have flooded YouTube. If you haven't heard of it, it's a painting method in which acrylic paint is poured onto canvas or other substrates to create a marbled effect; the desired effect is the production of color "cells" (in which layers of different coloured paint sink or rise past each other rather resembling a cell, hence the term). It's enjoyable, lucrative, and accessible to almost anyone!
Many people have worked together to develop this technique, so to say "there are multiple ways to achieve this" is an understatement! It was created by an artist named David Alfaro Siqueiros in the 1930s. (As seen here) He just poured several colours of paint on top of each other and let them mingle and spread. He was so enthralled by what had occurred that he set out to learn the science behind it. Sandra Zetina, an art historian, and Roberto Zenit, a physicist, later revisited the topic. To learn more about the science, check out this fantastic article.
