Abstract art and the science of everyday sightings is a blog about the science behind perception and how artists use their work to better everyday life. We provide information about the science behind abstract art, as well as various other forms of artwork.
The centerpiece of our blog is a series of interviews with people who create abstract art. You can read more about their lives, their processes and see some examples of their work. Our blog also contains discussions on topics related to neuroscience and perception, such as color theory, computer vision, optical illusions and more.
Our blog has been mentioned in The New York Times, Nature Methods, Science Daily and Discover Magazine amongst others. In addition we have been invited to speak at different conferences including TEDxVienna. We are currently in the process of finishing our first book which is scheduled for release sometime in 2014.
We would be grateful if you could get in touch with us for future collaborations or if you want to work together on a project involving abstract art or visual perception.
Abstract art is kind of an oxymoron. After all, what is the point of decorating a canvas with paint splatters if no one can tell what it is supposed to be? Yet abstract art continues to sell for big bucks in galleries around the world. The reasons for this are both artistic and scientific.
Telling the difference between reality and imagination has always been the basis for stories and art. Even the earliest cave painters used their work to distinguish dream from reality. Thousands of years later, artists are still using their work to explore what goes on inside our heads. But much as we may not want to admit it, they aren’t just doing this for fun. We also use “abstract” art to find out more about how we see the world around us.
Abstract art, as the term is used today, can refer to any number of styles and movements in 20th century Western art. It can be used to describe the geometric abstraction of Wassily Kandinsky or the conceptual art of Joseph Kosuth. Yet “abstract” is a somewhat nebulous word–and, in fact, it’s one that’s been thrown around a lot lately.
Trying to define abstract art is like trying to catch water in your palms: it slips through your fingers every time. But while it might be impossible to pin down abstract art with words, we can use science to get a good idea what makes something abstract in the first place. And this definition can help us understand how and why artists use these techniques.
It all comes down to a question of perception. What’s really going on when you look at a painting? How does your brain make sense of all those colors and lines? How do you make sense of anything? These are questions that scientists have been trying to answer for decades–and their findings just might surprise you!
Abstract art isn’t just about pretty colors or weird shapes. It’s about seeing the world differently, for better or worse. Because sometimes being a little bit wrong can lead you closer to the truth than
Abstract art is a genre of art that challenges the viewer to look beyond the traditional visual elements and focus on the artist’s intention. It is not difficult to find abstract paintings online, but it may be more difficult to find ones that are compelling and beautiful. Here are six abstract paintings that are both artistic and scientific in their appeal.
Linda Craven creates art that encourages people to view everyday objects in a different light. Her goal is to see beyond what is perceived visually, she uses her paintings as a vehicle for enlightenment. Her “fridge magnet” painting shows a cross-section of a refrigerator magnet and asks viewers to consider the complexity of their own perceptions.
Forever Changing Eye reveals how the eye transmits images through electrical impulses. Craven uses bold colors, lines, and symbols to make this abstract painting easily understood.
The Golden Mean by Clara Nieto takes an abstract approach to geometric shapes. In addition to being an appealing visual design, it also represents geometry and mathematics, which are used in creating computer models of virtual worlds we often interact with today.
José Antonio Suárez Londoño’s Paisaje Abstracto is an artistic depiction of everyday household objects using bold colors and creative design choices. The red cube is suggestive
Abstract art is a highly controversial topic. Some people love it, some hate it. Often both parties are so passionately against the abstract art that they don’t even want to discuss it.
Abstract art means different things to different people. To some, it is about creating something new out of what seems like nothingness. To others, it is about breaking free from conventional restraints and creating something from an inner vision. One thing most people can agree upon though is that abstract art makes you think, and it makes you feel.
Trying to determine how much abstract art is considered “real” or “true” art versus an elaborate hoax brings up a lot of issues regarding the way we perceive abstract art and whether or not we want to make everything we see fit into a certain frame of mind in which we think everything is supposed to make sense (Weisman).
The idea that looking at an object actually requires you to use your imagination comes as a shock to many people. We are used to expecting life to be easy and straightforward without having to think too much about what we “see.” Many artists have been inspired by the fact that complementary colors such as purple and yellow look like they “go together” yet are actually opposite on the color
Abstract art is a form of art that conveys its message or meaning in a non-objective way, often to the point of being nearly unrecognizable. The word abstract implies that the artist has made some type of conscious effort to remove recognizable elements from the work. Abstract art may also simply refer to any art which has no representational content, or whose content is only loosely related to visible things.*
We have abstract art because we have concepts. Concepts are invisible. You can’t see them directly, but you can infer their presence based on our perceptions. Our perceptions are strongly influenced by what we expect. The less we expect, the more our perception is free to wander about and notice things that surprise us.
Abstract artists seek to develop ways to decrease our expectations, thereby making it easier for us to appreciate new and surprising things about our world.*
The problem with this approach is that we don’t appreciate surprises if they are too big, or too frequently encountered. Our brains habituate; they adapt to a given stimulus until it becomes unnoticeable and then ceases to register at all. We might call this an example of neuroplasticity.* If an object is
Abstract art aims to make viewers focus on the composition and not the subject of the work. The artist may create a stark contrast between light and dark, or using only one color on the canvas. The painting is usually nonrepresentational—its main focus is not to portray an object. Instead, it focuses on the pattern and structure of shapes that appeal to the viewer.
Wikipedia offers a definition of abstract art: “Abstract art uses a visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world.”
Abstract artists do not try to represent visible things but rather attempt to convey feelings or ideas. Abstraction shows visual language in its most basic, atomic form. It can be seen as an opposite of impressionism, which tries to depict objects as they are or might be seen in real life.
The artist does not have to paint every part of every object; for example, you might see a section of several trees without leaves and branches, which makes you contemplate how it would look if all you could see was the texture and color of trunk and branches against the sky.
