Geometric abstraction
Timeless geometry
The abstract language in art appeared during antiquity, as evidenced by abstract ornaments on the surfaces of ancient artifacts.
The researchers of the ornament believe that it arose already in the Upper Palaeolithic era (15–10 thousand years BC).
Based on non-pictorial symbolism, the ornamentation was almost exclusively geometric, consisting of strict forms of circle, semicircle, oval, spiral, square, rhombus, triangle, cross, and various combinations thereof.
Early decorative and ornamental elements may not have had a semantic meaning. They were only abstract signs with a purpose to express a sense of rhythm, form, order and symmetry.
Geometric abstraction has been present in many cultures throughout history, both in form of decorative motifs and artworks.
Until now, the question remains: what appeared first – abstract or realistic art?
Modernism
Abstract painting began to gain popularity at the beginning of the 20th century, when the idea of drawing abstract forms possessed the minds of painters, that is, the minds of people who painted mainly with oil paints on a canvas.
With the help of abstraction, the physical and spiritual boundaries of perception were breached. Geometric abstraction, in contrast to classical painting, began to help understand the hidden, encrypted inner world. Earlier we already talked about the iconic figures of abstractionism — the most striking representatives of geometric abstraction are Malevich and Kupka.
In 1917, the magazine De Stijl saw the day light in the Netherlands, and with it — neoplasticism that was based on pure two-dimensional forms.
The main feature of the aesthetic program of the new association was a radical renewal of art based on fundamental changes in attitudes towards man and his living conditions. The artist should not find an escape in his isolated work atelier, but, akin to an engineer, he should “attack contemporary social and economic conditions” of life in order to renew them.
One of the most prominent representatives of the De Stijl was Piet Mondrian.
Mondrian believed that the whole world could be reflected by “two basic contradictions”: the horizontal as the Earth’s line of force and the vertical “originating at the center of the Sun”. He painted abstract compositions on a plane of rectangles and squares, painted over with local tones of “basic colours” (red, yellow, blue) and divided with a black outline. Rhythm became the main principle behind combinatorial shape construction, and the lines were given a symbolic and even sacred meaning. Mondrian considered the verticals to be “male” and the horizontals to be “female” lines of force.
Neoplasticism and De Stijl became the conceptual origins of minimalism — an intermediary between modernism and postmodernism.
Less is more
American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Minimalism in fine art originated in New York as both newer and older artists moved towards geometric abstraction.
The masters who created this trend were greatly influenced by Russian constructivism, Dadaism, formalism, geometric abstractionism and pop art.
Minimalism is an attempt to take a fresh look at painting by rethinking the canons and rejecting existing dogmas and rules. Pure geometric shapes and colour conveyed ideas — practicality, simplicity, rejection of excesses and concentration on the depth of meaning. The emergence of this style has become a new stage in the development of painting, interior design and architecture.
Postmodernism acts as a kind of mutation of modernism, which replaces the modernist form with play, chance, anarchy. Aesthetics in this context appear as a kind of mixture from which a new playing field and playing space is formed.
Memphis — anti or postmodernism?
This style was born in 1981 in Milan at the Memphis Group design agency founded by the designer Etorre Sottsass.
Postmodernists from the Memphis Group contrasted themselves to the “good taste” of modernism. Their style dictated complete freedom for the implementation of creative ideas.
The main rule is no rules
The materials weren’t used for their intended purpose: the ceiling could be decorated with a parquet board, and the countertop could be laid out with ceramic tiles. An abundance of high-contrast patterns — from geometric shapes to abstract squiggles — another component of the style.
Today this style represents the renaissance in graphic design and illustration as it revives all things 80s as fresh and relevant.
Geometric abstraction had a significant impact on the formation and development of modern architecture, interior and industrial design, arts and crafts. All of that while still ultimately adhering to harmonic rules of the universe :)
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