Thoughts on Abstract Expressionism
I consistently hear that abstract paintings are nothing more than paint splattered on canvas, or paint brushes gone
nuts. The most common phrase associated with abstract paintings is, “I don’t get it”. However, abstract
expressionism is the purist form of art if you consider art a process of creation.
Most art taught in schools, from early elementary to college, is a series of tasks to derive a product. Notice how I
omit the word creativity from this sentence. Creativity is eliminated by the use of an instructional sheet. In this
sense, art is taught from the perspective of the minds that work in linear systems. Output is important in a goal-
oriented society, and that desire is reflected in this type of art. However, something is lost, and it is a method of
teaching a mind to create something from nothing without instruction or pre-formulated thoughts from others.
This method is often reflected in paintings through the form of exactness. The use of physical exactness had
purpose in historical context. Events and people had to be visually documented to pass on historical teachings.
However, today the camera exists to record visual history. Photographers are artists. They capture events and
emotions that evoke stunning reality to circumstances that most people do not want to experience for themselves.
Using paint to document history seems redundant.
Painting exactness is not using creativity to make something uniquely thought of as attractive, provoking, or other
responsive qualities that have broad effects on people. Most people do not think about the affect of color on how
they will feel today. However, a perfectly balanced abstract expression of color will provide a smile to one’s face
every time it is seen. What is that worth? Most people do not think of the affects of rounded shapes versus square
shapes on how they think or make decisions. Yet, it has significant impact. There are an endless number of
qualities that exist in our environment that significantly impact us without us knowing why. Some of these qualities
can be learned by creating and viewing abstract expressions of dimensional process.
Creating these abstract expressions is the essence of communicating and evoking an emotional response in
people that I want to create. People can hate a painting. People can love a painting. People can be mesmerized by
a painting. People can feel movement. People can feel sadness. People can feel laughter. People can feel relief.
That is the point. It is about communicating a feeling, and no feeling is bad because it is all about understanding
humanity. Sometimes I love a piece because I hate it so much. I’d rather hate a painting than a person.
(c) kenneth martin
I consistently hear that abstract paintings are nothing more than paint splattered on canvas, or paint brushes gone
nuts. The most common phrase associated with abstract paintings is, “I don’t get it”. However, abstract
expressionism is the purist form of art if you consider art a process of creation.
Most art taught in schools, from early elementary to college, is a series of tasks to derive a product. Notice how I
omit the word creativity from this sentence. Creativity is eliminated by the use of an instructional sheet. In this
sense, art is taught from the perspective of the minds that work in linear systems. Output is important in a goal-
oriented society, and that desire is reflected in this type of art. However, something is lost, and it is a method of
teaching a mind to create something from nothing without instruction or pre-formulated thoughts from others.
This method is often reflected in paintings through the form of exactness. The use of physical exactness had
purpose in historical context. Events and people had to be visually documented to pass on historical teachings.
However, today the camera exists to record visual history. Photographers are artists. They capture events and
emotions that evoke stunning reality to circumstances that most people do not want to experience for themselves.
Using paint to document history seems redundant.
Painting exactness is not using creativity to make something uniquely thought of as attractive, provoking, or other
responsive qualities that have broad effects on people. Most people do not think about the affect of color on how
they will feel today. However, a perfectly balanced abstract expression of color will provide a smile to one’s face
every time it is seen. What is that worth? Most people do not think of the affects of rounded shapes versus square
shapes on how they think or make decisions. Yet, it has significant impact. There are an endless number of
qualities that exist in our environment that significantly impact us without us knowing why. Some of these qualities
can be learned by creating and viewing abstract expressions of dimensional process.
Creating these abstract expressions is the essence of communicating and evoking an emotional response in
people that I want to create. People can hate a painting. People can love a painting. People can be mesmerized by
a painting. People can feel movement. People can feel sadness. People can feel laughter. People can feel relief.
That is the point. It is about communicating a feeling, and no feeling is bad because it is all about understanding
humanity. Sometimes I love a piece because I hate it so much. I’d rather hate a painting than a person.
(c) kenneth martin
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