Ever stared at an abstract flower painting at some museum and immediately created a picture of how it might look on your wall? Flower painting offers artists a diverse scope for experimentation, as it is the most common art form since times immemorial. Flower painting may carry an emotional and spiritual meaning in many cultures across the globe, especially for Indian, Japanese, and other classical and contemporary painters.
You may have heard the term “conceptual artist”. But what does it mean? Being a connoisseur of art, you may know the ins and outs of conceptual abstract art. But if you are new to these concepts and are simply looking for the right painting for your wall, let us guide you.
What is Conceptual Abstract Art?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, conceptual is something “related to or based on ideas”, and the term abstract refers to that which exists “in thought or as an idea”. In other words, an abstract art form exists merely in one’s imagination and has no “physical or concrete existence”. So, both conceptual and abstract art forms are based on ideas, purposes, and ‘concepts’ rather than on tangible objects of the real world.
If you are willing to buy one or more abstract flower paintings online, it’s good to have some background knowledge about conceptual abstract art. Art is like bringing one’s vision to life, and it may not represent any of the worldly things we come across in our daily lives.
Even a known flower may take an unknown, abstract shape in a painter’s imagination. In other words, in a conceptual flower painting, the idea behind the work is more meaningful than the finished work itself, and this increases its value as a piece of art. This art form evolved as a major art movement in the 1960s, and abstract painters till today have been continuously experimenting with different forms of conceptual flower paintings.
For an artist, it’s important to have freedom in creativity, and with flowers, one can have endless levels of exploration, discovery, and creativity. The true definition of creativity is when you go from “it is technically perfect” to “I love it with all its imperfections and flaws”.
So, when you are purchasing artwork, especially while choosing from the endless flower paintings online, there may be endless flaws in that painting. And yet, if it appeals to you most uniquely, to the extent that you cannot think of another minute without it, you know that the painting is aesthetic. You just can’t get over its magical vibes, and you can somehow relate your inner soul and personality with that painting, even if it’s abstract and does not represent real-life objects.
The Key Elements of Abstract Art
Although abstract art is not bound to any rules and may possess any style, we can find the following six basic elements in most abstract paintings.
1.Lines:
Lines are vital in any kind of abstract art and are given more importance than all the other five elements of conceptual art. Lines do not have to follow any specific pattern, and it does not have to be straight. Lines mainly focus on creating unique forms for a particular artwork. In short, lines tend to draw your attention from one part of the art to another.
2.Shapes:
Like lines, shapes do not follow any specific rules in abstract art. Painters use an aesthetic combination of shapes and lines to distinguish one part from the next. Also, shapes in conceptual paintings don’t align with the shapes we see in our daily life.
3.Texture:
A painting’s texture can evoke certain feelings and emotions by appealing to our sense of touch. These feelings may be associated with familiarity, comfort level, past memories, and satisfaction. Texture represents the painting’s quality and you don’t need to touch it to feel it.
4.Colors:
We often associate abstract art with a range of colors, and hence, it is the most-utilized element in this art form. Colors are used in multiple ways, and for painters, the use of specific colors signifies something, such as a state of mind, idea, imagination, etc. While some artworks may stick to one or two (often neutral or strong) shades, others may use a whole range of the spectrum.
5.Forms:
Forms are meant to evoke certain emotions in the viewer’s mind. The form is an all-encompassing element. In fact, a variety of different shapes make up a particular form of the painting.
6.Values:
Values are a key element in conceptual paintings as they relate to how light or dark a particular shade or hue would be. It may look similar to colors, but it is more focused on particular shades, especially when the painter goes with the ones with darker values. It is similar to the gradient feature of Photoshop that goes from the lightest to the darkest. In short, values signify how the texture’s appearance is going to be and how intense the light would be.
Meaning and Significance of Flowers in Different Cultures and Eras
Flowers can represent a myriad of emotions and feelings, be it passion, love, innocence, peace, purity, strength, energy, royalty, or even death. Over the centuries, painters worldwide have captured the rich cultural significance and emotional symbolism of flowers. In fact, some of the earliest forms of still-life paintings were of flowers, especially those by Netherlandish Renaissance artists.
Painters have been tracing the diverse meanings of different flowers, such as roses, tulips, irises, carnations, lotuses, and more. Even a single flower can have a multitude of emotions and symbolism, depending on the context the painter has in mind. For instance, a single flower can represent love or hardship, purity or promiscuity, reproduction or decay, and the list is almost endless! Or a flower can merely mean a pile of petals, meaning nothing at all!
In general, flower paintings generally invoke positive feelings among the audience, and therefore, are a great option for adding one in your bedroom or living space. In terms of cultural symbolism, different flowers can carry the following significance:
- Bluebells symbolized kindness in Victorian England.
- Roses meant love in Ancient Greece.
- Tulips indicated passion in Victorian England.
- Lilies represented love in Ancient Rome.
- Chrysanthemums reflected nobility in Chinese Culture.
- Lotuses showed rebirth and the creation of new life in Ancient Egypt.
The sentiments associated with flowers are usually positive and sensitive. However, the orchid was an exception to this trend, as, in Ancient Greece, orchids were used to represent male fertility. Also, according to floriography, if you give flowers to someone in an upside-down manner, it may indicate that the intended meaning has been inverted to the direct opposite of the original meaning.
Even though the trend of associating flowers with some meanings or emotions has been around since ancient times, the trend still exists today. People today practice handing specific blooms to their loved ones based on their cultural significance and emotional appeal. We tend to choose particular flowers to convey our feelings specifically. For example, while Valentine’s Day is unimaginable without red roses, an English wedding would prefer specific blooms like Ranunculus, hydrangea, carnations, and orchids.
Why Do Conceptual Artists Paint Flowers?
The short answer is: because they are passionate about it! As mentioned earlier, an artist should have creative freedom and can create anything they love and are passionate about. A painter’s strokes may reflect his wild imagination, resulting in any combination of shades, hues, figures, and shapes.
So, when you are into purchasing floral art for your walls, try going for an abstract masterpiece, as it will enhance the look of your home. You can have multiple options in terms of colors, shapes, textures, forms, lines, and values. Even though floral paintings may have a spontaneous and often chaotic appearance, they will add elegance and aesthetic value to your living space.
People often feel more connected to such disordered artwork, especially while living in a fast-paced world where everyone is forced to stay in ‘boxes’. Abstract floral art may also represent escapism from reality to an unknown world, bringing in more inner peace and positivity.
Conclusion
We hope to have given you the pleasure of digging deeper into the idea of conceptual abstract art and the symbolic values of flowers. Based on your cultural significance and personality type, you can choose one of the aesthetically appealing paintings online. There are websites like Artoreal dealing with premium-quality paintings from artists across the world, and we hope one of them would soon enrich the look and emotional appeal of your ‘home sweet home’!