---

The development of abstract art in the work of Wassily Kandinsky followed a long process of thought and development based on his artistic experiences. Kandinsky viewed art as a way to express spiritual desire and devotion to inner beauty. He defined these feelings as a necessity rather than a luxury.

The early 20th century was a time of heightened expectation and technological development. Industrialization brought expectations of faster, higher, and further. The advent of modern technology was making new discoveries every day. Famous scientists and explorers, such as Sigmund Freud, were discovering the human mind. Also, scientists like Werner von Siemens and Roald Amundson were reaching the South Pole. All of these developments changed people’s perception of reality. The heightened sense of awe and wonder caused people to question the nature of reality. Kandinsky wanted to portray the inner world of human emotion.
Turner

It is not easy to understand Turner’s abstract art. His paintings feature strange anatomies, bold colors, and translucent layers of paint. However, his style is largely different than that of the Impressionists. While the Impressionists used all-prima techniques and unconventional materials, Turner chose to work on a canvas using traditional painting methods. His enigmatic Petworth painting is an example. Another example is Music at East Cowes Castle, painted in 1835. This painting features a sensual interior that could be an illustration of the Fleurs du Mal.

Turner’s abstract art has a strong literary component. His works are highly literate and deviate from the ut pictura poesis that the modernists aversely consider to be the foundation of art. In addition, Turner’s stammering attempts at writing are a testament to the permeability of word and image. This hybrid impurity has always been an important factor in the modernist critique of Turner’s art.
Monet

In Massif de Chrysanthemes (1897), Claude Monet forsakes perspective and the horizon line entirely, repositioning the viewer within the flower bed and above it. This radical move upended the still life genre and gave his chrysanthemums an almost surreal appearance. Their shimmering gold-pink colouring resembles a stream of smoke, and they are almost in motion.

While most Impressionist painters focused on the realism of objects in paintings, Monet was more interested in the abstract aspects of painting. He tried to capture the fleeting effects of light on objects.
Houghton

Abstract art is a growing genre in art today, and Georgiana Houghton has created a remarkable body of work in this style. A spiritualist, Houghton was an artist as well as a spiritual medium. Her paintings are ethereal and suggestive of a spiritual world.

Houghton’s work is reminiscent of the work of the Abstract Expressionists, but has a distinctly modern flair. Her whimsical use of line prefigures the color fields of Mark Rothko. Her Sheltering Wing of the Most High is as powerful as the work of Jackson Pollock or the Abstract Expressionists, but her vision makes her work a truly singular work.
Klint

Hilma af Klint’s abstract art reflects her spiritual beliefs. She started a spiritual group called The Five in 1896 and held seances regularly. Her altar contained a rose in the middle of a cross and she claimed that she made contact with the spirits and high masters. She continued to create abstract art during her life, creating more than a thousand pieces.

In 1906, Hilma af Klint began creating abstract compositions, which were characterized by geometric shapes that did not represent any subject. The abstract art that she produced would later influence many major artists, including Kandinsky, Mondrian, and Malevich. Though she did not realize it at the time, Klint was on the path to abstraction long before any of her contemporaries.
Georgiana Houghton

Abstract Art by Georgiana Houghtón is an example of an artist’s work that transcends the boundaries of genre and style. Her work evokes the unseen and is often viewed as spiritual. Houghton’s nonrepresentational images and her use of color were a departure from the usual conventions of painting and drew criticism in her day. She claimed to channel spirits and her works often contained images of ethereal spirits.

Houghton developed a unique abstract style by using watercolors and colored pencils to create spirit drawings. Her works were created during seances, and she believed that she was guided by a spirit. Her drawings featured ethereal spirits and archangels and were some of the first non-figurative abstract works to appear in the western world.

The experts at Phantom Lighting System can help you to create and install the very best in lighting for your fine art paintings and pieces. No matter what style of art you’re looking to illuminate, abstract art or modern art the experts at Phantom Lighting are ready to work with you to create the perfect lighting solution for your collection. Call the Phantom Lighting team toll-free at 800-863-1184 or fill out our online request form to get started with your lighting design plan. Or if you prefer, sign up for our monthly newsletter and we will keep you up to date on new product launches, resources, and more.