This specific gallery is focused on the style of art known as geometric abstraction, also called De Stijl. Abstract art "is defined as visual imagery in art that does not copy reality. This might be achieved by simplifying, distorting, or exaggerating objects from nature" (Exploring Art). Geometric abstraction can be thought of as a subcategory of abstract art, and as the title suggest, it is based on geometric forms and shapes. Abstract art creates an art work that is expressive, unique, and thought provoking. According to The Art Story website, De Stijl movement was partly in response to the Art Deco movement but also the terrors of the first World War, and it often had geometric shapes and primary colors. In this specific gallery, all the selections are of geometric artworks from the twentieth century. I also included a figurative piece of artwork from the twentieth century for comparison. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, figurative art is that which depicts "people and things in a way that resembles how they really look : not abstract." So, geometric abstract artworks and figurative artworks could be considered opposites.
Piet Mondrian is the most famous De Stijl artist and this particular piece is a very structured, rigid compilation. It is composed of perpendicular lines, some with greater thickness than others. The lines form rigid squares and rectangles. He limits himself to use of the primary colors only, but they are very rich hues which make the colored squares stand out in comparison to the white. If one were to study it for long periods of time, a sense of endurance through time could be sensed due to the stability of the piece and its stable form. Although it is a structured work, it has no symmetry.
Composition with Grid #1, Piet Mondrian, 1918, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Because he was so famous in the movement, two paintings are necessary. In this painting, the same structured lines and shapes continue. However, the absence of two primary colors, red and blue, should be noted. Still, the absence of red and blue brings more attention to the richness of the yellow, which is hardly recognized in the first piece we looked at. The piece has a lot of unity due to the repetition of the square and rectangle.
Red Light, Sean Scully, 1971, From the collection of: British Council
Red Light by Sean Scully is a busy, patterned painting. It has a unique combination of variety and unity. Consistency in the line thickness and space creates structured unity, while the wide range of colors used, including primary colors, add variation and chaos to the work. The layering of lines suggests a depth to the painting. A blog posted in Passports British Council Collection suggests that red is the top layer because red is "the longest wavelength in the spectrum visible to the human eye." It appears to be an endless web of lines, and in comparison to Mondrian's work, this is much more complex.
The stairway by Fernand Léger, although still geometric abstraction, is different than the first two works we have seen so far. Whereas Mondrian's and Scully's pieces were very structured and uniform, there is less rigidness in Léger's piece. This is seen in the curved lines. The "fuzziness" of the painting suggests a hazy texture. Still, Léger uses only the primary colors with purer hues, just as Mondrian did. The work has a lot of motion and variety, considering all the lines and shapes headed in different directions. There is a sense of balance, especially between the red and blue sections.
In comparison with previous works, Lissitzky's piece is lacking color except for a very low saturation of a yellow rectangle in the middle. Yet, it is similar in structure to Mondrian's piece in that it is very rigidly ordered with lines. It does have a slight variation in its order due to the perspectives present, which creates a contrast within the work. Because of the cubes, this art piece has some sort of depth and spatial relation within it. Although it lacks symmetry, there is a strange sense of balance, probably due to the way Lissitzy organized the colors and the "weight" that the carry.
White Zig Zags, Wassily Kandinsky, 1922 - 1922, From the collection of: Ca' Pesaro - Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna
According to Sophie Gilbert Kandinsky once said, “color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings." Clearly, he demonstrates this in his piece. White Zig Zags has full tonal range, with both high and low saturation. Note that the primary colors are present. Clearly, the lines and shapes in Kandinsky's piece have very little order. There is a lot of movement in the piece, but there is also depth as the viewer's eyes follow to the back of the painting. Rhythm is created with the repetition of the white zig zag lines, although even within the unity of these zig zags, there is variation in their exact shape. Clearly it is up to the eyes to create harmony in this painting.
Girl with Roses by Freud is obviously not abstract geometric art, but it is from the 20th century. However, it is a figurative painting. Clearly, this painting is easily related to reality, whereas the previous art works were abstract. It has a low key value dull, neutral colors. There is no motion or time. It appears as though she was posing for the painting. There is a sense of vertical balance due to her hand holding the rose straight up an down. Her off center posture is countered with the small part of the chair. According to William Feaver, Freud states, "I always felt that detail – where one was conscious of detail – was detrimental." This is true to any figurative art piece, where expressing the details of reality is key.
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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
