UNDERSTANDING ABSTRACT ART #60

“Quantum Sufficit”

First Prize in the Clairvaux Collage Art Prize

In the AMP Collection

(Acrylic) 

Size:  98x1.08cm

THE IDEA BEHIND THE PAINTING:

This painting won first prize in the Clairvaux Collage Art Prize.  It then became part of the AMP Collection when it was purchased to hang in the AMP Boardroom at Waterfront Place, Brisbane.

The meaning of “Quantum Sufficit” is “as much as is necessary”.  Most of my abstract paintings are pared down to the minimum.  I generally start with much more detail but by the time I have eliminated that which is not necessary it is reduced to its minimum.  So I suppose this painting represents the essence of what I am trying to do with my art  – to make it as simple as possible – a bit like Scandinavian design.

Art Techniques used to achieve this:

This painting could be hung any way because of its balanced composition.  However for the purpose of this blog I will discuss it in the horizontal which is shown here. 

I do not sign my abstract paintings on the front of the canvas because I prefer to leave it optional as to which way the owner prefers it to be hung.

The colour Red is a dominant colour and usually gives the feeling of energy.  Recently someone who was looking at a “red” painting of mine, thought that I was feeling angry when I painted it.  The viewer can not presume that the colour of a painting symbolizes the emotional state of the artist.  Colours mean different feelings to different people and the viewer may be projecting their own emotional state onto the artwork.  The title may give some indication as to the meaning of an abstract painting but generally it is better to ask the artist.  Some artists however, do not like to give an explanation of their art.  Nevertheless it is good to keep in mind that when you view an artwork, that you are aware that it’s a “two way communication” and that you “own” your emotional state of being as part of your perception.

It was intended that this painting although predominately Red, portrays a calm feeling.  This is conveyed through the horizontal emphasis in the composition.  Horizontal lines have a calming influence on our psyche probably because of its association with nature and the horizon.  A diagonal emphasis would give the viewer a more unsettled feeling.  Vertical would be more energetic but less unsettling.

This artwork is not meant to represent anything in particular however it is possible that people try to interpret it as being a landscape – this is not the case.  It is purely abstract and was originally done as a colour and composition exercise.  It has no emotional content and is purely a cognitive exercise in painting.  This is not always the case with many of my paintings however, as my readers would know.  

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