The image is a work by Masanao Taniguchi
When painting a landscape, it does not necessarily mean that you are simply copying the mountains and ocean that are there.
There are works that express "feeling landscapes" such as the light, the atmosphere, and scenes that come to mind.
This style of expression, which focuses on form and conveys a sense of space through color and rhythm, is called "abstract landscape painting," and the world of this painting, which attempts to depict the invisible, has a sense of depth in its stillness that deepens the viewer's thoughts.
1. What is Abstract Landscape Painting?
The term "abstract landscape painting" does not have a clear definition.
Some of the works are based on landscapes and use simplified shapes and colors, while others are abstract works that evoke the feeling of "sky" or "horizon" even though they do not depict a specific location.
In other words, it is a broad area that includes both abstract landscape paintings and abstract paintings that have a sense of landscape.
For example, the impressionist Claude Monet's Water Lilies, painted in his later years, are so abstract that the shapes of the pond and trees are no longer discernible.
Even so, the work conveys the light, air, and flow of time, giving us a sense of a "landscape."
On the other hand, Mark Rothko's* color field abstractions are said by the artist to "portray emotions," but some viewers may sense a depth reminiscent of the sky or horizon.
In this way, regardless of the starting point, abstract landscape paintings can be said to be expressions that allow the landscape to emerge in the viewer's senses.
2. Between landscape and abstract painting
Landscape paintings are essentially paintings of visible nature or cityscapes.
However, in the second half of the 19th century, with the emergence of Impressionism, painters began to move towards painting what they felt rather than what they saw.
With the spread of photography, paintings began to be valued for expressing sensations and impressions rather than for reproducing them.
An extension of this is abstract expressionism from the 20th century onwards.
William Turner's* later works compose landscapes by layering light and color, while Monet depicted the atmosphere of nature by dissolving the boundary between the water surface and the sky.
Then, in the mid-20th century, artists such as Rothko and Agnes Martin emerged who conveyed the feeling of landscape through the rhythm of shapes and colors.
Abstract landscape painting was born out of this trend and is an expression that stands "between landscape and abstraction."
3. The "proportion" of abstract and concrete
There are no clear lines in abstract landscape paintings, but they can be intuitively summarized as follows:
・More concrete: Recognize the subject, such as mountains or the sea
・Middle: There is a hint of air, light, and horizon
・Leaning towards abstraction> Expressing emotions through color and composition alone
These "in-between" works are often called abstract landscape paintings, and the point of appreciation is not what is depicted, but the sense of space it evokes.
4. Abstract still life paintings, abstract animal paintings, and abstract plant paintings
Just like abstract landscape paintings, abstract works depicting familiar motifs come in a variety of forms.
For example, in still lifes, animals, and plants, rather than depicting their actual appearance, there are many attempts to express their essence through shape, color, and rhythm.
・Abstract still life painting
Pablo Picasso's* Cubism, which depicts vases, fruit, vessels, and other motifs by decomposing and reconstructing their shapes, is an example of a style that pursues the beauty of the structure rather than the form itself of the subject.
・Abstract animal paintings
Paul Klee* depicted animals as the "rhythm of life" using lines and colors.
・Abstract botanical painting
Georgia O'Keeffe*, who enlarged a portion of a flower to depict the power hidden within life, is one example of abstract expressionism, which expresses what one feels.
What they all have in common is the approach of depicting the subject "as it feels" rather than "as it sees."
In other words, the awareness of "expressing the essence beyond the concrete" is more important than the differences in categories such as landscape, still life, animals, and plants, and this is the common core of abstract expressionism.
5. The appeal of abstract landscape painting
The appeal of abstract landscape paintings lies in their freedom to have different meanings depending on the viewer.
Because there is no specific subject, viewers can superimpose their own memories and emotions onto the work.
To some it may appear as the sea at dusk, to others as a misty mountain, and to still others as "tranquility within the heart."
It is said that overlapping colors and expansive compositions have a psychologically calming effect, but preferences and perceptions vary from person to person, and not everyone will necessarily receive the same impression. Nevertheless, the "ambiguity" inherent in abstract landscape paintings certainly gives the viewer room for imagination.
6. Interior appeal
Abstract landscape paintings also blend well into interior decor.
It has a natural feel without being too bold, making it easy to match with a variety of styles, including natural, modern, and minimalist.
Because it expresses scenic depth and light, even small works can create a sense of spaciousness in space.
7. Summary: Painting as a “feeling landscape”
Abstract landscape painting is not a painting of a visible landscape, but a painting of a landscape that is felt in the heart.
For the artist, it is an expression of memories and emotions, and for the viewer, it is an opportunity to recall their own landscapes.
Rather than strictly defining it, you can deepen its appeal by being conscious of "why you are drawn to this painting" and "what kind of atmosphere it gives you."
Reference Links
Claude Monet
A leading French painter of the Impressionist movement, his Water Lilies series captures the transitions of light, abstracting landscapes to the extreme and depicting the resonance of color and air.
Wikipedia
Mark Rothko
An American painter, he is a leading figure in the field of "color abstraction," whose tranquil compositions of layered color planes express an emotional space that seems to affect people's inner selves.
Wikipedia
JMW Turner
A 19th-century British landscape painter, his later works, which deal with themes of light and color, portray spiritual landscapes that transcend nature and influenced later abstract expressionism.
Wikipedia
Pablo Picasso
A Spanish painter who is a symbol of 20th century art, he decomposed and reconstructed forms through Cubism, portraying still lifes and people from a new perspective.
Wikipedia
Paul Klee
A Swiss painter, he depicts a musical world using lines, symbols, and the rhythm of color, and gives an abstract sense of life to animal and plant motifs.
Wikipedia
Georgia O'Keeffe
A pioneer of modern American art, he boldly captured flowers and landscapes in close-up, depicting the energy and serenity hidden in natural forms.
Wikipedia
