Abstractionism developed in the early 20th century, influenced by styles like Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism. Key artists like Kandinsky, Mondrian, and O'Keeffe pioneered geometric and non-geometric abstraction by focusing on spiritual expression through color, form, and the essential qualities of subjects rather than realistic representation. Their abstract paintings had a significant impact and influenced other areas like architecture, fashion, and design in moving art and visual culture into the modern world.

1. ABSTRACTIONISM PRE-WWI • THROUGH THE 1920s • POST-WWI

2. The Origins of Abstractionism Influenced by: Impressionism: Making the present permanent/ insignificant events or subjects are made important Post-Impressionism: use of planes overlapping/shifting color to indicate form and shape Fauvism: use of color from exactly what the eye sees and abstract shapes and subjects Cubism: explorations of geometric simplifications and reduced series of overlapped planes

3. POST-IMPRESSIONIST INFLUENCES Vision After the Sermon- Gauguin1888 Orchard at Pontoise- Cezanne 1877 The Orchard- Cezanne 1882

4. MOVING TOWARD ABSTRACTIONISM Winter Landscape- Kandinsky 1909 The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum Arles, at Night- Van Gogh 1888

5. CUBISM INFLUENCES Composition VII- Kandinsky 1913 Two Figures- Popova 1913

6. OTHER INFLUENCES Influenced by discoveries in other areas: Chemistry and physics Philosophy Psychology Poetry Music

7. What is abstractionism? Abstractionism is “a kind of representational art in which the representational meanings of the work are minimized by the artist.” –Brettell “The abstract artist receives his inspiration not from any piece of nature you please, but from the nature as a whole, from its most multifarious manifestations; which accumulated in him and used to the work of art.” –Kandinsky

8. GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION Oval Composition- Mondrian 1914 COMPOSITION NO. 10- MONDRIAN 1915 composition No. 11- Mondrian 1913

9. FORMATION OF “ABSTRACT” GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION Widened stream of cubism/ non-figurative geometric abstraction. Intellectual Structural Architectonic Geometrical Dependent upon logic and calculation

10. NON-GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION In the grey- Kandinsky 1919

11. FORMATION OF “ABSTRACT” Non-Geometric PAINTINGS Gauguin and Fauvism flowing into non-geometric abstraction. Institutional Emotional Organic/biomorphic Curvilinear Decorative Romantic (as opposed to classical) Focuses on mystical

12. Composition VIII-Kandinsky 1923

13. KANDINSKY His focus in abstract paintings: Spiritual desire Devotion to inner beauty Color and form Expressive methods for his emotional perceptions Non-representational

14. The Sluice- Kandinsky 1901

15. Untitled (first abstract watercolor)- Kandinsky 1910

16. Improvisation 30 (CANNON)- Kandinsky 1913

17. Composition IX- Kandinsky 1936

18. Composition X-Kandinsky 1939

19. COMPARISON PRE/POST WAR Romantic landscape- Kandinsky 1911 Soft pressure- Kandinsky 1931

20. Black Square on a White Ground- Malevich 1915

21. Composition in black, white, and red painting NO. 9 – Mondrian 1939-42

22. MONDRIAN His focus in abstract paintings: Irregular movement of verticals and horizontals Discover an underlying structure of the world Mathematically elemental Removing clutter/revealing clearest form Natural forces defining shape and purpose

23. TREES BY THE GEIN AT MOONRISE - MONDRIAN 1908

24. Sea at sunset- Mondrian 1909

25. Apple tree in flower- Mondrian 1912

26. Composition with red, yellow, blue and black –Mondrian 1921

27. Lozenge – Mondrian 1921

28. Self Portrait – Mondrian 1900/1918

29. Oriental Poppies-O’Keeffe 1928

30. O’ KEEFFE Her focus in abstract paintings: Abstract, 2D style removed from imitation of nature Use of simple, clear forms- bring out the essential meaning/context Emphasized balance and harmony Applied paint in dense, invisible strokes Descriptive of single colors

31. The Specials – O’Keeffe

32. Red Mesa – O’Keeffe 1917

33. Music, Pink and Blue No. 2 –O’Keeffe 1918

34. Plums- O'Keeffe 1920

35. Shelton With Sunspots- O’Keeffe 1926

36. Two Calla Lilies on Pink – O’Keeffe 1928 White Iris – O’Keeffe 1930

37. MOVING TOWARD SURREALISM Rams skull, white hollyhock and little hills- O'Keeffe 1935 From the Far Away Nearby- O’Keeffe 1938

38. ABSTRACT INTO THE MODERN WORLD F U R N I T U R E fashion architecture