UNM Experimental Figure Drawing, Spring 2014: Intro to Abstraction (Adson)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Intro to Abstraction (Adson)

Edit: Figuration and Abstraction

Figuration: Figuration describes art that portrays a figure or shape from life using diffrent mediums such as charcoal, paint, or sculpture to name a few. Figurative art creates narrative with the forms creates from the illusion of space and shape.

Abstraction: Abstract art describes art that is non-representational and relays on imagery. The image is non-figurative and is not usually observed from reality. It uses color, line, and form to create a composition that is not usually observed from reality and can be independent from references to the world.

Can figurative art ever be non-narrative?

I believe figurative art can be non-abstract to an extent. Some figurative art is hard to read as a story or recognizable object.

Abstract art narrative?

Abstract art can be narrative, but it will vary from each viewer. Each person sees the image differently because of their personal views and ideals that differ from the artist and others. Also, our mind tries to tie an image with a narration that we can relate too or relate another object too.

The figurative eye is narrative but van be twisted and distorted to be non-narrative. On its own a human/animal eye is recognizable by the shape and can tell a story by its reflection or expression. Distorting the eye can make it unrecognizable but from the shapes created we can still form a narrative. For example, I took a photo of an eye into Photoshop and messed with the overlaying, line tools, flipping the image, and making it black and white. The eye now look like another worldly sky, with a large marble like moon and black grass reaching toward the marble moon.

Non-Narrative

Non-narrative art- It is difficult for the viewer it comprehend because of the lack of recognizable figures, objects, or symbols, it can be abstract or non-representational.