3 questions about abstract art

Is abstract art only a matter of money?

It is a common misconception that abstract art has an inherent link to money. Medias are used to associate abstract art with sensational and expensive. In the history of abstract art, we often focus on a few spectacular events, especially on artists like Kandinsky, Rothko or Jackson Pollock. According to the AGESSA activity report in 2017, more than 50% of artists declare earnings between 9,000 and 39,000 euros annually. Thus, we are far from the colossal figures given by the media.

Can anyone make abstract art?

You may have heard this comment before: anyone can make abstract art! A topic that is often raised when you enter a museum for the first time or when you decide to talk about it at a family dinner...

Just like "art brut" and "naive art", you can find abstract artists who have no artistic training. It is therefore possible to get the wrong idea about the fact that anyone can make abstract art. However, does anyone have the ability to make an abstract work? No, of course not. But Dubuffet would argue that artistic training impairs the creative instinct.

Does abstract art have to mean something?

For the public, a work of art must have a meaning, as it is the case with figurative art, but abstract art does not represent a subject or a physical object. However, this type of artwork encourages the viewer to stimulate his or her senses. The absence of textual and formal references forces the viewer to become an actor, not a consumer of art. However, many artists seek to provoke an emotion, rather than to give a meaning. Like Yves Klein with his monochromes or Pierre Soulages with his Outrenoir.

Watch the great classics of abstract art on the Museum TV streaming platform!