Paul Klee
Ancient Sound, Abstract on
Black (1925)
oil on cardboard
One thing that is interesting about the abstract movement is the concept that art can be experienced the same by all people if it is simplistic enough in both design and story line. Thus, the concepts during this period become more and more basic and geometric. Art, then which is historically thought of as free and expressive takes a more scientific approach. This is based on logic and rationality, however the problem comes in when the human condition does not always fall in line with predictability.
For example, take Paul Klee's Ancient Sound, Abstract on Black (1925). It is abstract in the traditional sense with basic colors and lines. Klee even went so far as to put "Abstract" in its title. However, the colors that Klee used are in the red and green family, which are often the colors which blend for those who are color blind: a large part, but not all of the population. Therefore, what was aimed to be a simple uniform piece of art is changed due to the nature of human unpredictability.
Germaine Greer once was quoted saying, "Security is the denial of life." Although I see some beauty in the simplicity of geometric patterns and design, they in some respects are trying to accomplish some type of security in their predictability, which as Greer eloquently puts, is nearly impossible in the human world.
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