Abstract Art by Anna Moszynka book review

Abstract Art by Anna Moszynska, 2020 reprint, Thames & Hudson.

‘Abstract Art’ from the London based publisher Thames & Hudson that specializes in ‘illustrated books on art, architecture, design, and visual culture’ is a century's worth chronological survey of the development of abstract art (primarily) in the Western world from the 1910’s to the 21st century. Originally published in 1990, this book is an updated reissue written by Anna Moszynka, pioneer of the study of contemporary art at Sotheby's Institute during the late 1980s. The book is divided in 9 chapters, charting the developments, trends, movements and crises in the realm of abstract art within the span of roughly a decade or two or so in each chapter. The book locates all the great “isms” in abstract art. Cubism, Abstract Expressionism etc. and contextualizes the developments of these art movements from a socioeconomic + political lens along with the role that spirituality, religion and science play in the elusive world of abstract art.

The book contends that historically, abstraction has been a male Euro-American endeavor. However, towards the end of the book, the author engages in a brief survey of recent developments in the global contemporary abstract art field and how globalization, decolonization, the development of technology has democratized the pursuit of abstraction. The author also notes that artists from across the globe have different motivations in pursuing abstract art which are informed by culture, religion, identity, theory etc. in their creative practice.

Abstraction may be a form of non-representational art, an emotional expression, a spiritual experience, political commentary, a form of resistance, a way to maintain the status quo. Abstract art is open-ended in its subjectivity and here lies its double-edged strength and weakness. It is important to ‘read’ an abstract painting in the context of the time, culture, society it was produced in & to look at the artist creating the work itself. Two abstract artists who create artworks in a similar style and historical period may have opposing motivations to do so and thus this affects the ‘reading’ of the piece.

All in all I found this book to be an important lesson in abstract art history in order for me to make sense of the developments in the contemporary field of abstract art and has given me clues to where I stand in the tradition of abstract art.