This document discusses the origins and development of abstractionism in art. It traces the evolution of abstraction through movements like Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism and Cubism that reduced representations of reality. Abstractionism was influenced by factors like nature, emotion, music, war and philosophy. It aimed to minimize representational meaning and reduce elements to basics like color and shape. The document examines geometric and non-geometric abstraction, focusing on pioneers like Kandinsky, Mondrian and O'Keeffe whose works emphasized elements like color, form and organic or geometric shapes. Examples of key works by each artist are provided.

1. By: Andrew Stephens and Phil Sutfin

2. Where Does Abstractionism
Originate?
 Impressionism- picture-like works of art
that show the fleeting of color and light
 Post-impressionism- overlapping planes
to create shape and symbolic and
emotional use of color
 Fauvism- using color for symbolic
purposes and to express emotion. Also
shows abstract shape.
 Cubism- overlapping, reduced geometric
shapes

3. Influences
 Nature
 Emotion
 Music
 War
 Philosophy
 Science
 Other art movements such as
impressionism, post-impressionism,
fauvism, and cubism

4. What is Abstractionism?
 The principles or practice of creating
abstract art
 An artists minimalization of the
representational meaning in a work of
art
 Often reducing things down to basics
such as color and shape

5. What is Abstractionism?
 “For me, the province of art and the province
of nature thus became more and more widely
separated, until I was able to experience both
as completely independent realms.” –
Kandinsky
 “The emotion of beauty is always obscured by
the appearance of the object. Therefore, the
object must be eliminated from the picture” -
Mondrian

6. Geometric Abstraction
 Highly influenced by cubism
 Believed to be the peak of non-objective
works of art
 Inorganic shapes
 Some symmetry

7. Non-Geometric Abstraction
 Influenced by fauvism and post-
impressionism
 Organic shapes
 More play on emotion levels

8. Kandinsky
His art was:
 Emotional
 Non-representational
 geometric abstraction
 Non-geometric abstraction
And focused on:
 Color
 Form
 Shape

9. Mondrian
His art was:
 Pure
 Bright
 Mathematical
 Geometric abstraction
 Non-geometric abstraction
And focused on:
 De Stijl – geometric shapes that use vertical
lines and horizontal lines with some primary
colors

10. O’Keeffe
Her art was:
 Emotional
 Organic
 An imitation of nature
 Often monochromatic
And focused on:
 Color
 Form
 Organic shape

11. Kandinsky, Small Pleasures
1913

12. Kandinsky, Composition VII,
1913

13. Kandinsky, Composition VIII,
1923

14. Mondrain, Grey Tree,
1911

15. Mondrain, Tableau No.
2/Composition No. VII

16. Mondrain, Composition A,
1923

17. O’Keefe, Anything,
1916

18. O’Keefe, Black Lines,
1916

19. O’Keefe, Series I-From the
Plains,
1919

20. Sources
 http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/abstraction.html
 http://emptyeasel.com/2007/04/17/piet-mondrian-the-evolution-
of-pure-abstract-paintings/
 http://www.radford.edu/rbarris/art428/kandinskysabstraction.htm
l
 www.dictionary.referance.com
 www.wisegeek.com
 www.arthistory.net
 www.wassilykandinsky.net
 www.ezinearticles.com
 www.kasimirmavelich.org
 www.theartstory.org
 www.artfactory.com
 www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org
 www.ibiblio.org