Why Abstract Art is good for Us: Abstract Art and the Brain

We have seen it all: Famous abstract art without recognizable objects and shapes, that make it impossible to categorize or label. What is the purpose of abstract art? People often like to dismiss or feel intimidated by abstract art, which is understandable, since our brains are hardwired to prefer pictures that are easy to identify. After all, our survival in evolution has strongly relied on the ability to distinguish between a threatening tiger and a lovely kitten. The lack of an apparent subject matter in abstract artworks makes some people scoffing at it, thinking it is not worth their attention. Others remain curious about possible hidden messages and meanings. Regardless of what your attitude towards abstract art might be, one cannot deny the significance of abstract art in the modern age.

Before we talk about why it is good for us to look at abstract art, let’s have a look at the background – definition and history.

Jackson Pollock's No. 5 (1948)
Jackson Pollock’s No. 5 (1948)

What is Abstract Art? Abstract Art Definition

By definition, abstraction means to separate or withdraw something from something else, to distance an idea from objective referents. There are two types of abstract art: The term can be applied to art that is based on figures, landscapes, or objects, where forms have been schematised or simplified, pulling a depiction away from representational reference points. Furthermore, the term also refers to art that uses forms, such as gestural marks and geometric shapes, which are not at all related to any external visual reality. The distinction between abstracted art and completely non-objective art is not always obvious.

What is the History of Abstract Art?

The idea of abstraction can be traced back to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Cubism, and today the list of abstract artists is long. These three art movements realized that art could be non-representative, distancing itself from realistic representation as exemplified in traditional academic painting. The exact beginnings are difficult to pinpoint and there is no ‘founding father’ of abstraction since the stylistic movement unfolded gradually. Early proponents of purely abstract art were Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), Russian painters Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) and Kazimir Malevich (1879–1935), and Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (1872–1944).

vasily-kandinsky-composition-8-1
Wassily Kandinsky, Composition 8 (1923)

The development of abstract art is intricately connected to events in history: Interestingly the two golden eras of art were between 1912 and 1925, and between 1947 and 1970 – marked by horrific events such as the Great Depression, the First and the Second World War. In the light of desolation and human suffering, artists refused to express themselves in a realistic manner. As the German philosopher, Theodor Adorno, put it, “There can be no poetry after Auschwitz,” implying that romantic art cannot blossom after the event of such horrors. With their abstract paintings, the artists distanced themselves from the suffering around them, conveying their own beliefs and emotions.

Abstract art peaked starting in the 1950s, it was propelled by an entire generation of Second World War Abstract Expressionists in New York, such as Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Mark Rothko. Abstract Expressionism was characterized by mark-making, gestural brushstrokes, and the impression of spontaneity. The painters favoured a subconscious approach to creating art, emphasizing mood, emotion, and detachment from reality.

The Benefits of Abstract Art

Abstract art has long been the subject of scientific research, providing proof that it is beneficial to confront ourselves with it. Verification, that viewers of abstract work can gain neurological advantages, comes straight from the field of neuroscience, as shown by Nobel laureate Eric Kandel in his book “Reductionism in Art and Brain Science” (2016).

The human brain processes visual inputs of abstract art in completely different ways compared to processing of realistic art. Paintings containing recognizable objects provide the brain with visual information that can comfortably be categorized just like a real person, house, landscape etc. might be categorized. Abstract art on the contrary dares our understanding to interpret an image that is different from the kind of images our brain has learned to reconstruct in evolution: When looking at Rothko’s colour fields, for example, it is impossible to find recognizable objects. According to Kandel, this is why people often feel intimidated when confronted with abstract art.

There is no doubt that the experience of being confronted this way is good for us, since we remove ourselves from reality to create imaginative responses. Kandel explains, that abstract art challenges our brains to create own explanations, thereby stimulating higher-level areas of the brain that are responsible for imagination and creativity. The process increases our tolerance for less familiar and even completely alien situations, making us more flexible. This is specifically true for the art of the Abstract Expressionism movement, so the author.

In the 2020 study “An objective evaluation of the beholder’s response to abstract and figurative art based on construal level theory” Kandel, together with the neuroscientists Celia Durkin, Eileen Hartnett, Daphna Shohamy, further explore how the effect on the mind is different when spending time with abstract art in contrast to representational art. The four scientists provide empirical proof that art can change our perception of events and how we come to decisions. Abstract art in particular can psychologically distance the viewer from the details of everyday life, making us focus more on the contextual, broader picture, and evoking ‘mental abstraction’.

Why do people like abstract art? Neuroscientist Vered Aviv further provided evidence in his study “What does the brain tell us about abstract art?” (2014) that non-representational art can free the human mind from the dominance of reality, enabling us to explore hidden associations. Thereby, the viewers can tap into cognitive and emotional states which have remained undiscovered before. Brain-states, that are otherwise harder to access, can get activated when confronted by abstract art, making this process rewarding since it enables the exploration of yet undiscovered inner territories of the viewer’s brain.

MARK ROTHKO, Untitled (Red) (1968)
Mark Rothko, Untitled (Red) (1968)

Conclusion

The experience of looking at abstract art can be enriched by learning about the artist behind the painting. For example, what was on Jackson Pollock’s mind when creating his masterpieces? We know that his action painting was an outpouring of his own mind, an expression of his individual thoughts. This meaning is not readily understood by looking at his works, so some background information can be revealing. Other works such as Rothko’s will require a prolonged encounter in order to ‘understand’ it emotionally. A painting has the power to make you feel something exclusive, which will make the experience worthwhile.

With such background knowledge, we can approach abstract art without being intimidated, even without asking how to interpret abstract art, how to read abstract art. There is no need to look for the one and universal meaning of an abstract painting. Don’t burden yourself with having to find a generally accepted theme or subject. Instead, explore what it evokes within yourself. Have a dialog with the painting and the artist behind it, see what it makes with your emotions, what thoughts come up from inside, and dive into your unique neuro-experience.

You might also be interested in the posts by Pigment Pool:

The Healing Power of Art

Art, Psychology, and Neuroaesthetics: Appreciate Art for Health and Well-Being

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