The Meaning of Abstraction
written by art historian & curator
From the very beginning of human consciousness, art has served as a lifeline, a language, and a fundamental means of survival. Long before the advent of written language, humans etched their fears, triumphs, and spiritual beliefs into stone, using pigment and shape to navigate the complexities of an untamed world. The earliest cave paintings, brought to life by the flickering glow of firelight, weren’t frivolous creations but urgent expressions—messages sent across the vast expanse of time, whispering tales of the hunt, the mysteries of life and death, and the presence of unseen forces that governed their world. These raw images, scratched onto rock with instinct and intention, represent humanity’s first attempts to grapple with the unknown, to capture fleeting thoughts and emotions in a tangible form that could outlive their creators.
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This fundamental quest for meaning through art has taken countless forms throughout history, from the representational to the abstract. In the 20th century, artists like the Abstract Expressionists pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, seeking to convey profound emotional and existential truths through purely abstract means. We are reminded thus, that the inherent need to seek meaning through art is as fundamental to our existence as breath itself. Throughout history, this primal impulse has remained a constant thread, evolving and transforming with each era, yet always returning to the same core questions that have haunted humanity since its inception: Who are we? Why are we here? And what, if anything, lies beyond the veil of our perceived reality?
Meaning in the Mirror of Time
The earliest artistic expressions, such as the awe-inspiring cave paintings of Lascaux and Altamira, strongly suggest a deep and inextricable connection between art and the spiritual realm. These remarkable works likely held profound ritualistic significance, acting as a conduit between the tangible, physical world and the intangible, supernatural forces that were believed to shape their lives. As human societies gradually advanced, religious and mythological themes began to dominate artistic production. The grandiose murals of Ancient Egypt, depicting pharaohs and gods in all their glory, the idealised sculptures of Ancient Greece, striving for perfect beauty and proportion, and the intricate, mesmerising mosaics of Byzantium, shimmering with gold and vibrant colours, all sought to convey a sense of divine order, cosmic harmony, and the established hierarchies of power.
During the Middle Ages, art became an indispensable tool for religious instruction, providing visually compelling narratives and moral lessons to largely illiterate populations. The Renaissance, however, marked a pivotal turning point in the history of art and thought, with the rediscovery and renewed emphasis on the principles of humanism. This era explored the intricacies of the human form with unprecedented depth and anatomical accuracy, celebrating human individuality, intellectual curiosity, and the inherent beauty of the natural world. The Enlightenment and Romantic periods further deepened the artistic quest for meaning, each through its own distinct philosophical lens. Artists like Caspar David Friedrich and Francisco Goya explored themes of existential awe, profound loneliness, and even the depths of human despair, highlighting the emotional complexities and often-turbulent nature of human existence.
The dawn of the 20th century ushered in an era of rapid social change and artistic reinvention. The devastating impact of two world wars, the relentless march of industrialisation, and the rise of existentialist philosophy led artists to question traditional modes of representation and the very nature of reality itself. Dadaists, in their rebellious spirit, mocked the perceived absurdity of life, while Surrealists delved into the uncharted territories of the subconscious mind, seeking to unlock the secrets of dreams and the hidden depths of human psychology. Modernist movements deconstructed traditional notions of form, narrative, and perspective, paving the way for new and radical approaches to artistic expression. Amidst this intellectual and artistic ferment, a powerful and influential movement emerged—Abstract Expressionism—one that embodied the deeply personal and existential search for meaning in a fragmented and uncertain world.
Finding Meaning in the Unseen
Abstract Expressionism, which flourished in the mid-20th century, was an emotional and philosophical revolution in the world of art. It boldly rejected the long-held constraints of traditional representation, abandoning the perceived need to depict the external world in a recognizable way. Instead, Abstract Expressionist artists sought to express something far more elusive and profound: the raw, unfiltered essence of human experience itself. They aimed to translate emotion directly onto the canvas, bypassing the filters of logical interpretation and conscious control in favour of instinct, spontaneous gesture, and the unbridled energy of the creative process. Deeply influenced by existentialist philosophy and the groundbreaking psychological theories of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, Abstract Expressionism embraced the realm of the unconscious as a wellspring of artistic truth, a space where meaning was not preordained or imposed but rather discovered and forged in the very act of creation itself.
For artists like Jackson Pollock, painting was an act of raw, unfiltered expression—an emotional and physical outpouring that defied traditional artistic conventions and challenged the very definition of painting. His revolutionary drip technique, which he developed in the late 1940s, transformed the canvas into an arena of action, a dynamic space where paint was not applied with a brush in controlled strokes but rather flung, dripped, and poured with a frenzied yet deliberate energy. Pollock’s large-scale paintings were visual records of his inner state—expressions of internal struggles and the complex workings of his subconscious mind. To many, they represent a powerful and visceral struggle for meaning in an unpredictable and often chaotic world, a mirror reflecting both personal turmoil and the universal human experience of searching for purpose. His work invites viewers to engage not with a fixed narrative but with their own instincts and subjective experiences, reinforcing the central idea that meaning in art, like meaning in life, is something deeply personal, fluid, and ever-evolving.
Mark Rothko, in stark contrast to Pollock’s dynamic and energetic style, pursued meaning through stillness, simplicity, and the profound power of color. His luminous color fields, vast and immersive, invited viewers to step beyond the realm of intellectual analysis and instead surrender to the pure experience of feeling. His signature works, often consisting of layered hues that seem to pulsate with an inner glow, were transformative experiences—portals into deeply personal reflection. Meaning emerged in the silent dialogue between color and the individual viewer.
Rothko’s artistic approach was deeply spiritual, striving to create contemplative spaces for profound introspection and creating an almost meditative state of being. This is perhaps best exemplified in works like No. 61 (Rust and Blue, 1953), where deep, moody tones of blue and rust interact to evoke a sense of quiet introspection and contemplative melancholy. The painting’s expansive fields of color, with their subtle gradations and blurred edges, create a mesmerizing atmosphere, drawing the viewer into a space of stillness and reflection. The interplay between the cool, somber blues and the earthy, warm rust tones generates a subtle tension that feels both intimate and universal, as if Rothko is inviting us to confront the depths of our own emotions and the complexities of the human experience. Similarly, in Orange and Yellow (1956), Rothko masterfully uses warm, radiant hues to create a luminous, almost ethereal effect. The vibrant orange and yellow rectangles seem to float within the canvas, pulsating with an inner light that feels both comforting and overwhelming, both familiar and otherworldly.
Both paintings, and indeed his entire body of work, exemplify Rothko’s extraordinary ability to harness the expressive power of color and form to create profound, immersive experiences that resonate on a deeply human level. Rothko’s art was not primarily about what was visually seen but rather what was deeply felt; his work transcended the purely visual, becoming a bridge between the material and the metaphysical, a testament to the enduring power of simplicity and stillness in a world often overwhelmed by noise, complexity, and the relentless pursuit of the tangible.
Barnett Newman’s iconic ”zips”— vertical bands of color that bisected his large canvases— were, in a way, stand-ins for the individual, a bold declaration of presence within the overwhelming expanse of existence. This powerful sense of individual presence is absolutely central to understanding the core tenets of Abstract Expressionism. The movement, of which Newman was a leading figure, championed the radical idea that meaning wasn’t something dictated by external forces—be it religious dogma, mythological stories, societal expectations, or even the artist’s explicit intentions. Instead, meaning resided within the individual viewer, waiting to be unearthed through a deeply personal and often subjective encounter with the artwork.
This revolutionary movement’s impact extended far beyond the confines of painting. It reverberated throughout the art world and beyond, influencing poetry, literature, performance art, dance, and even contemporary digital art forms. It reinforced and solidified the now widely accepted idea that meaning in art is not fixed, static, or easily definable, but rather fluid, dynamic, and deeply personal.
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