A recent post on abstract art over at JimmyAkin.org, authored by artist Tim Jones, offers a balanced and gentle critique of such decorative art and noted that he has “never once been moved by a piece of abstract art. I don’t see how that works.” Abstract art, especially that of Jackson Pollak, has never been my favorite.

Example of Jackson Pollack work:

Lavender Mist (1950) (It does not look very lavender to me.)

More than a decade ago, with a few random undergraduate art history classes under my belt, I found myself alone in Spain with extra time and tired feet. I wandered into the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza looking for a bench. The available bench that I found rested in front of a painting by Mark Rothko, which I am fairly certain is this one:

Green over Purple (1961) (Maybe my monitor does not do purple well? This looks brown to me too. Anyway . . . )

I thought if I were ever going to be able to gain an appreciation for Rothko’s squares, this was my opportunity. I sat. I sat some more. Eventually, the light washes of color over color finally did begin to gain a sense of fluidity or movement, and I can say that the piece did provide a space for meditation or contemplation, although without providing much substance for the meditation (in sharp contrast to Renaissance art, for example). Perhaps it has value as a sort of background music, or for a capacity to set a mood. In that sense, perhaps even Pollack’s work can convey a frantic mood, but I do not find much space for contemplation there! I did leave the museum with a greater respect for Rothko’s work (and less tired feet).

Incidentally, Rothko did design a “chapel” full of black paintings. I have never seen those works, and I am a bit dubious about where I would be lead in contemplation in front of such dark images. Rothko died of suicide in 1970.