Abstraction is a genre of art that represents reality in a generalized or simplified manner without reference to concrete objects or examples. It uses visual elements like form, color, and line to create compositions that may exist independently from visual references in the real world. Some key influences on abstract art included Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, as well as sciences, philosophy, psychology, politics, and music. Pioneering abstract artists mentioned include Kandinsky, Malevich, Mondrian, and O'Keeffe.

1. “Abstraction is one of the greatest visionary tools ever
invented by human beings to imagine, decipher, and
depict the world.”- Jerry Saltz

3. INNN A NUTSHELL
 A genre of art
 Representation that has no reference
to concrete objects or specific
examples
 Everyone looks at it differently
 Interpreted by the viewer’s past
experiences
 “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”

4. INNN A NUTSHELL still…
 It can slightly, partially, or fully deviate
from reality
 Abstract Art uses a visual language of
form, color, and line to create a
composition which may exist with a
degree of independence from visual
reference in the world

5.  Origins and influences
 Impressionism - central object made
important.
 Post-impressionism - overlapping planes
to form shape.
 Fauvism - use of color and abstract
shapes and forms.
 Cubism - simplification in geometric
shapes or forms.

6. Fauvist influences
Wassily Kandinsky
Maurice De Vlaminck

7. “Composition VII” - Kandisky
Cubism influences
“Two Figures” - Lyubov
Popova

8. GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTIONISM
Wassily Kandinsky
Georgia O’Keeffe

9. Other influences
 Sciences and Physics
 Philosophy
 Psychology
 Politics
 Music
Theory of relativity

10. SCIENCES AND PHYSICS
• Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was being
considered
• Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
• People views have been changing

11. POLITICS
• Red Scare
• Great Depression
• World War I
• Fear, anger, worry

12. • Considered the
father of psychology
• Research with little
Albert.

13. Wassily Kandinsky
 Russian painter and art theorist
 Studied at the Academy of Fine
Arts
 Taught at the Bauhaus School
of Art and Architecture
 His art was inspired by music
 Each note was assigned a color
 Created rich paintings with much color
and form

15. Kazimir Malevich
 Malevich was a Russian painter
and art theoretician
 He did geometric abstract art
 He was the originator of the
Avant-Garde
 He was a Suprematist (focused
on basic geometric forms)
 Studied at the Moscow School of
Painting, Sculpture, and
Architecture

17. Piet Mondrian
 important contributor to the De Stijl
art movement and group
 Neo-Plasticism
 Geometric artist
 Painted many simple lines and
squares with different color effects
 After his death, many fashion
statements were influenced by his
art

19. Georgia O’Keeffe
 O’Keeffe went to Chatham Protestant
Episcopal Institute
 She studied art at the Art Institute of
Chicago and the Art Students League in
New York
 Revolutionized modern art
 Painted art/nature
 Most of her paintings are close-ups
of flowers

21. O’KEEFFE
KANDINSKY