Abstraction in Painting
How do you define “painting” ?
What are some of the choices artists make when they
create works of art?
How might an artist represent an idea or emotion in paint,
without showing a specific subject?
Let’s take a close look…
Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis. 1950-51
What words would you use to describe this
painting?
What stylistic choices did the artist made in
terms of color, composition, and subject?
The English translation of the title is, "Man, heroic and sublime.”
Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis. 1950-51
How does the title relate to what you see?
How might the painting’s large scale relate to the title?
Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis. 1950-51
.
How is viewing an artwork for the first
time like meeting a new person?
Do you think it’s possible to reduce a
human figure to abstract lines,
shapes, and colors?
Alberto Giacometti, Standing Woman, 1948
How did Newman translate his ideas into paint?
Does Vir Heroicus Sublimis change how you think about
painting?
How does this work change your perception of paint as a
tool for expressing ideas and emotions?