Tomma Abts: Abstract Paintings Represented by Greengrassi Gallery - Research Paper

Introduction

Tomma Abts was born in Germany in 1967 but currently lives and works in London, England. She is basically an abstract painter represented by the greengrassi gallery. Her work primarily uses oil and acrylic, and mostly develops her designs from repetitive geometrical elements. All the paintings by Abts measure 19 inches by 15 inches dimensions she claims represent the style and size that works for her. Formally, none of her paintings is representational, and they have no reference to the world, nature, or any specific theme. Accordingly, the support of her painting's abstraction is founded on the lack of an overall retro feel as well as detail.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Most importantly, what makes her art unique is the fact that it does not adhere to the traditional rules of abstract art. Most importantly, her paintings entail complex shapes that are woven and layered in different ways with added shadows, highlights, and a sense of depth. For this paper, the focus will be on the painting Uphe that was painted in 2011.

Uphe by Tomma Abts

In this painting, the use of shapes and color are dominant. Specifically, in the art, Abts strengthens the medium by sinking the art to its essential elements of line, color, and flatness. The artwork takes on a color scheme that is rich yet relatively neutral. In the painting, Abts creates a 3D effect by accurately layering and working up the canvas (Miller, 2019). What is most appealing about this painting is the fact that it displays movement and depth without optical trickeries, balance without symmetry, and radiance without the starkness of bright color.

Another appeal in the painting is the fact that its maker developed it without having preconceptions of what the final product would look. Therefore, to give the painting meaning and a sense of self-evidence, she tried to define the form precisely, and through texture, line, and shadows the art ended up being quite physical and real rather than being am image or representation of something else (Buck, 2016). The forms in the painting do not stand for anything else, just like they do not symbolize or describe anything outside of art- they represent themselves.

Although the painting appears to have a direct relationship of form and color, this is not the case. The shapes in the painting arise out of and a withdrawal back into the picture plane with a lack of logic that is mystifying. Sparks of incongruous shadows and vivid color play across the painting's thick stifling layers with complex shadings, masking, and spatial games that complicate the picture plane in a mind-boggling way. This supports the earlier stated fact that although these elements might appear to have been intricately pre-thought, their geometric compositions are developed intuitively and energetically. The painting also echoes Modernist art history, which not remotely the intention of the artists (Buck, 2016). The painting is not about finding references and mixing them in a new way; instead, it is all about starting with nothing and trying to create something new. To this effect, the more time one spends with this enigmatic abstract, the more it confirms that even the easiest reading is impossible. The painting has a very contemporary knowingness of how paint and acrylic can be made to perform.

Besides, the painting showcases non-representational, that is, the shapes have been layered in a manner that seems almost tactical and woven with texture, shadows, and a sense of depth. Surprisingly, one would say that Abts's quiet and unique work cannot be considered pretty, yet it is what makes the painting attractive and appealing (Miller, 2019). The use of strange visual illusions makes on to think that the paintings borrow from the designs of the 1950s wallpaper primarily because it uses zigzags, puzzles, and twists. Nonetheless, the use of color lines and shade is what makes the painting unique and valuable.

In the painting, there is a long phase of the audience to search and discover, and trial error in relation to the meaning herein is allowed. Through the process of overpainting, the submerged shapes turn the painting into a record of compressed space and time in fluidity (Miller, 2019). Uphe has a life of its own, and this is represented by the presence of a lyrical composition of imaginary space and color. The hidden pathways of rifts and forms are like past states of mind hidden in the surface.

Conclusion

In summary, I recommend Uphe by Tomma Abts to this client because unlike most abstract painting, this work is unique and allows its audience to critique it as they desire. It holds no specific meaning, yet it is appealing. More so, the fact that the artist uses geometry equally shows that the artist wants the observers to derive meaning from the art even though even the artist is not aware of what it represents. To this effect, the use of color, texture, line, and shade also attracts the painting's observer, and hence, all these elements make the painting attractive and unique.

References

Buck, L. (2016). Tomma Abts' Enigmatic Abstracts. Retrieved 25 August 2019, from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/art/tomma-abts-at-greengrassi-review/

Miller, C. (2019). A Living Tribute to a Geoform Master: A Review of Tomma Abts at the Art Institute of Chicago | Newcity Art. Retrieved 25 August 2019, from https://art.newcity.com/2019/01/11/a-living-tribute-to-a-geoform-master-a-review-of-tomma-abts-at-the-art-institute-of-chicago/