Abstractionism developed in the early 1920s following World War 1 and the Russian Revolution. Artists like Kandinsky, Malevich, and Mondrian created non-objective works using geometric shapes and colors without depicting real-world objects. They believed this approach revealed deeper spiritual meanings and could communicate universal ideas. Kandinsky saw color and shape as symbolic and thought works should be felt, not just observed. Malevich's suprematism used basic forms to overcome conflicts between man and nature. Mondrian simplified shapes toward clarity and universal harmony. Their innovations influenced visual arts and design.

1. ABSTRACTIONISM 1 BY: LARUEN PROCHAZKA, MACKENZIE ROGERS, AND JILLIAN SOMMERVILLE

2. 2 1918 White on White – Kasmir Malevich

3. THE WORLD OF THE EARLY 1920’s World War I has ended, rebuilding cities Russian Revolution ended, Russian communism takes over Stalin in power, social realism is the only art allowed Nazi party forming Color theory, light theory, cosmology, morphology, quantum mechanics, math and physics evolve Development of photograph, methods of reproduction 3

4. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT ABSTRACTIONISM? You just take an object and morph it using shapes There’s no meaning to the shapes Making fun of the object portrayed 4

5. WHAT’S IT REALLY ABOUT? Non-objective, No Imitation Geometric shapes, no objects from observed world Forms and colors exist for their own expressive sake, symbols Dematerialization of the object Clarity, certainty, order Peering deeper into the mind, theosophy Scientific, universal language of senses in a growing, chaotic world 5

6. KANDINSKY Accredited with first abstract work Art is like music (inspired, structured, feeling, calculated, rhythm) Abstract forms have spiritual basis Color and shape are symbolic, ex: white=great silence, circle=wholeness “Inner necessity”- artist’s intuitive, emotional response to the world His work not supposed to be observed but felt slowly Teacher at the Bauhaus in Germany Express inner life of humans and their most intimate emotions Viewer’s eye moves freely without limits imposed by artist 6

7. 7 1913 Composition VII – Wassily Kandinsky

8. 8 1923 Composition VIII – Wassilly Kandinsky

9. 9 1926 Several Circles – Wassily Kandinsky

10. ARE YOU STILL AWAKE? 10

11. MALEVICH Believed abandoning need to depict external world would break into deeper level of meaning “Suprematism”- visual object is meaningless, feeling holds significance Abandoned painting for a while to sketch suprematist cities Imprisoned by Stalin for free-thinking art Lover of math, tried to incorporate passionate emotion Believed non-objective would overcome conflict between man v. nature, mind v. matter 11

12. 12 1915 Black Square – Kasmir Malevich

13. 13 1915 Suprematism – Kasmir Malevich

14. 14 1916-17 Suprematist Painting – Kasmir Malevich

15. MONDRIAN Believed art of clarity and balance would lead to a society governed by universal visual harmony Disciplined in life and art Love of jazz Simplified, mathematic structure “Plastic reality”- reality was presence of the painting itself, not imitated nature No symbolic meaning to colors No communication with Russia because of war Only through non-objective could humans approach the divine, the universal 15

16. 16 1917 Composition in Color A – Piet Mondrian

17. 17 1921 Composition with Red, Blue, Black, Yellow, and Gray – Piet Mondrian

18. 18 1933 Lozenge Composition with Four Yellow Lines – Piet Mondrian

19. CONTRIBUTIONS TO ART Cities are based on abstract forms The painting was about the feeling you get looking at it, not the visual aspect of the object Light, vital energy, feelings, and emotions coupled with math and science Simplified geometric figures could reach deeper into the soul Impact on industrial and advertisement art 19

20. ABSTRACTIONISM ROCKS! 20

21. THE END 21