Change is the force that drives humanity forward into new realms of thought and function. Without the power of change, we would all still be clad in animal skins painting horses and bison on European cave walls by torchlight. Change is healthy, it promotes innovation and the adaptation of new concepts and techniques in both the arts and sciences. We are literally creatures of change, growing from helpless babies into self-aware adults, absorbing knowledge and learning new skills along the way. Modern Australians cannot stay the same, it is anathema to us, and even longstanding traditions of culture do eventually morph over time into new and exciting ways to view the surrounding universe, and express ourselves in regards to our unique place in it.
One of the ways we can gauge the effects of change in human history is to study the world of art. We have evolved from slavishly replicating the physical world in paints and pencils, to exploring the strange new realms of colour and movement brought to us by the emergence of abstract art. This 20th-century revolution of presentation and perception has fostered some of the most thought-provoking and visually striking pieces of art ever created by human hands. Our drive to discover fresh ways to do things, and create new paradigms of self-expression has generated thrilling visionary methods to create and experience art that were once beyond imagination.
The old, realistic art forms were attempts to depict actual reality as experienced by the artists and those who viewed their works, almost as if they were attempting to photograph the world long before the advent of cameras and film! Abstract art strives to create the opposite effect, depicting emotions and perceptions that transcend sensibility and logic to form a new space of thought we can wonder at, and share.
Early pioneers of the field implemented forms, colours, shapes, and lines to create art that was independent of the mundane, propelling the viewer into a transcendent state outside of the average consensus, where there are no judgments, and the things you see are whatever you imagine them to be, instead of just landscapes, objects, and people. The inherent freedom of this revolutionary art form has redefined the meaning of “art” and lent a new and groundbreaking sensibility to Australian homes and galleries. Celebrate change by experiencing the mystery and wonder of Australian abstract art for yourself!
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