Understanding The Term "Abstract" - by Abdullah Haris

The word “art” may have been long used to illustrate or refer to any expertise or mastery, in customary requisites but Richard Wollheim preeminently describes art as;

“One of The Most elusive of the traditional problems in human culture”.

For my naive readers, the word “elusive” means indescribable and no wonder the negating word “ Problem ” here seems to fit best when unfolding the temperament of its existence. In my personal view the 20th century artists have undeniably re-written and reshaped the entire meanings and reason for art; ranging from realism to its epic extreme or might as well just smearing a few blots of different colors to the canvas that can be easily sold for millions, nowadays.

So, how can you decipher true mastery of an actual intellect from that of a big name that produces garbage for you? In simpler terms; how to decipher a-b-s-t-r-a-c-t from just plain “c-r-a-p”? Is there a thin line separating actuality of sane reason from that with senseless fantasies only the artist can see himself, alone?

Al Cap’s definition of art would be great to read here at this point where he mentions the following for abstract art as;

“Abstract art is the product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered”

Every time I re-call these words in my head, I can’t seem to help but laugh knowing how true could that be, especially the part where he speaks how it is the product of the “untalented” and how it is sold to the “utterly bewildered”. I really wonder sometimes how and what does a lay man presume and perceive an abnormal form of life through the work of these “unprincipled” people. However the word “abnormality” itself feels like a bigger compliment than decent flattering ones for artists, themselves.