I selected this online exhibition, “Nō-thing Pending”, of my art-works to help explain what happens inside abstract art.
At least for me, there has been an understanding over time that when an artist paints in an abstract way that he or she is really speaking about a poetic way of looking at the world, but it does tend to leave out people who expect to "see things" in the art.
Then, in an attempt to draw people back in, artists often develop a story, a philosophy or concepts around “why” their abstract work is worth looking at.
But for me, this has always defeated the purpose of painting in this way - surely if we paint abstract pictures, they are then open to interpretation by the audience?
Adding to this my own interests in Asian art and cultures, there should be room for me to say that “emptiness” IS the subject matter of these works. Yet “Zen aesthetics” often need Flow and colour to help “describe” empty space, and I think that this would be a good place/way to start looking at this series of paintings.
Finally, if we as artists are brave enough to let the audience in and to have them engage directly with the art, then I think that how those paintings make them “feel” will be the primary reaction and point of engagement.
I genuinely would love to hear back from you as to what these paintings made you feel, think or even remember? If you spend 10 mins moving around this VR gallery experience, I’d also love to know how you found that?