Analysis of Abstract Art

        The painting shows some bold 90 degree angles drawn with black lines that are more prominent in his later work (Composition with two lines, composition two with black lines) and so on. The painting is by Piet Mondrian 1872-1944.

        Mondrian uses symbolic representation of real objects that give the impression of less detail and depth. The shapes are very indistinct and sort of blur together and seem less prominent than how I think they would look, e.g.

        The fact that so many of his pictures in his later work were so similar and simplistic gives the impression that he was over doing his initial idea, although his first idea was original if not unique. I prefer some of his earlier work that included “Woods” and “At work/On the land” because although they were still abstract, the qualities that I look for in a painting were more obvious.

        I expect abstract art to be within certain boundaries, I don’t think half a pickled cow or an empty gallery with labels where the paintings should be can be called art. I think abstract should show creativity and original ideas but some artists have just gone a little to far with what you can get away with calling art.  

Laurence Harris                02/05/2007