The above image is....well, exactly what is it?
For many of us, when we look at an image we want to
know what it is supposed to depict. (A narrative)
(Is it a representation of something ''real'', does it have
an underlying meaning, is the artist trying to say something
specific with the image?)
Non-representative (abstract) art however, does not offer us a clear
narrative, rather, if anything, it often offers us fragments,
and that at times, can be quite confrontational.
''We never look at just one thing, we are always looking at the
relation between things and ourselves.'' (John Berger)
A child comes home from school and excitedly exclaims: ''Mummy,
look what I painted today, I painted my happy feelings!''
The child hands the mother a piece of paper.
''Look! Doesn't this look like happy feelings!'' says the child beaming
with pride.
The mother looks at the piece of paper in her hand,
conscious of that what she says next may be crucial
for her child's creative development.
She opts for enthusiasm: ''Wonderful, darling, good job! Let's
put it on the fridge for the others to see.''
When we look at a work of art, whether it is a painting, sculpture,
photograph, or an installation, etc., often our first response is to ascertain
how ''realistic'' we think it is. '
''That's so good, it looks so real!'' is a common response.
Another common response is: ''What's this supposed to be?
Looks like something a kid could do. I don't get it.''
(There are many terms we use in our everyday conversations that
we regard as ''real'' and ''actual'' phenomenon such as mind, consciousness,
reality, emotions, thoughts, etc.etc. although we have no physical evidence
which we can utilize to actually prove empirically that such exist.)
When my son was in grade one he did a painting that I loved, but his
teacher did not. In his painting, the sky was red, not blue, the trees
had purple trunks and orange foliage, the house was white with enormous
windows and a tiny door, and the ''grass'' was dark gray and not green.
My, interpretation of my son's painting was that he had a great imagination,
his teacher, told me that she was worried about him since he seemed
to not be able to see things ''as they really are''.
Alas, my son's first abstract painting.
The word abstract comes from a Latin word meaning ''detached from reality''.
Which to me is kind of funny, since ''reality'' for me is a term/concept which
only exists in the ''abstract'', and its very definition depends on a subjective
point of view.
(There may be as many ''realities'' as there are human beings.
Or, there may be two realities which we inhabit simultaneously;
one only you know and inhabit,
and a collective reality in which all of us function daily.)
For a child, painting happy feelings may be no more abstract than
being told that 2+2=4 . The child may ask: what is a number? who decided
what a number is?
Or a child may ask: why do rainbows suddenly disappear?
Or, the child may ask: why do I feel funny when Bobby doesn't want to
play with me? It feels like pain, but I can't see where the pain is.
Those in the know say that we understand life through
stories/narratives.
Narratives we tell ourselves, and narratives others tell us.
Our narratives help us understand our place in the world
and how to makes sense out of it.
When we view a work of art onto which we cannot
place any part of our narrative, it becomes ''abstract'' to us, hence,
it makes no sense.
While visiting a Surrealist Exhibition with a friend,
we came across an installation that puzzled my friend.
''This installation makes no sense'', she said.
Look at it, it's just bits and pieces all over the place.''
I looked at the installation, and then I looked at the shadows
on the ceiling that was created by the bits and pieces.
''Look at the ceiling, Mags, what do you see?'' I said.
''Aah,'' she said, '' it's a sitting room!''
''Now I get it!''
She had her narrative, and the installation was no longer abstract.
''Abstraction allows man to see with his mind
what he cannot physically see with his eyes.''
(Arshile Gorky)
PS: The above image is a photo of water flowing across seaweed
covered rocks, with bubbles floating on top.
No editing, just straight from the lens on an
analogue camera.
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