I’ve always thought that to ‘abstract’ something, one condenses it into its essence. Caricaturists do this all the time when they present recognizable portraits of their subjects with prominent features exaggerated. Most artists try to tell the truth as they see it. Visual artists do so by using color and form that represent the essence of scenes or moods they wish to portray.
Could a process of abstraction be used to create a narrative composition? I don’t think that expression of an idea needs to follow restrictive rules of the grammar needed to tell a story. However, the concept of communication is clear: a message sent should be the same message received and understood by the receiver. The beauty of abstract artistic expression is, it doesn’t matter if the message received is the same as the message sent. The creative artist provokes thought in the observer.
Yesterday I referred to Joan Miró’s painting The Beautiful Bird Revealing the Unknown to a Pair of Lovers as a narrative. The title certainly tells a story. I hope to decipher this painting. I am sure there are symbols of a bird and two lovers. I will rejoice when I recognize Miró’s pictorial version of the unknown, which the bird reveals to its human companions.
Through my readings about Miró, I understand he did not consider himself an abstract artist. If this is true, then Miró must have used some sort of pictorial grammar in this work.
I am striving to create a narrative of some of my life’s experience in pictorial form and boil it down to a shorthand that is possible for others to decipher.
Here is another attempt:
Narrative After Miró
9″x6″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block
I like the ideas you have expressed here but can anyone ever truly interpret a text or a painting exactly as the artist intends? I think we all bring ourselves to the art work and interprete it through our own perceptions, values and life experience. Abstract art can transmit emotions though as I am sure you are aware. Great to read such a thought provoking blog and great to see someone else is musing about art.
Exactly my point. In abstract art a message is sent but the same one is not necessarily received. If one wants to tell a narrative that one wants received intact, it is not abstract art. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it (hahaha). I could be wrong (but I don’t think so).
Thank you for commenting!!
You made me curious so I had to look at some Miro paintings. I see your point. Are they abstracts or are they cartoons?
I’ll see if I can track down the quote.
On page 18 of ‘Joan Miró’ by Carolyn Lanchner (Museum of Modern Art publisher): “Miró always vehemently maintained that his art was never abstract.” Will try to address this some more in another post.