So that night when I mixed paint in a curious way I also painted this (first figure). Combination of blue and red got to me really.
While I was painting the canvas I was thinking about abstract art and why do they teach us that abstraction is some sort of development of painting as an art form, evolving from figuration to abstraction… It is actually very possible that the first ever art piece was abstract.
Think about it. When people, more precisely, children, fist use art supplies, what type of art do they make? Abstract. Take Pollock (second figure) for example who was admired for his innovative dripping painting did: they throw paint on the ground, smudge walls and furniture. Children don’t have much figuration imprinted in their minds yet to try to project objects onto surfaces, replicate them by sculpting and etc. Children’s first creative impulse is really an immediate product of psycho somatic response to emotions. That psycho somatic aspect that lies in the core of immediacy is the key mechanism behind abstract art.
These thoughts came into my mind as I was painting the wounds. For a moment I though “What am I doing” and then realized that I was really just being childish and was doing what I was doing out of emotion.
What is really interesting, is that some writers that I read pointed out that abstract expressionists who tend to be have mental issues or even clinical psychiatric disorders return to figuration from time to time, when their mental state gets better. Again, Pollock for example, was more figurative and surrealistic when he was clinically treated for bipolar and wasn’t having episodes. His earlier works were figurative too, but then he was getting crazier I guess and more abstract. Look at Elegant Lady (third one). He didn’t end up medicating for real though and died.
Same thing with me actually. When I am not bleeding as much, I paint stuff which can be probably categorized as surrealistic, or...psychodelic. When I am more unstable than usual, I paint abstract and not figurative. I think it helps release tension a bit.
And escapes, they do too, because I have too much life in my veins and need some anesthesia from time to time. Today I am ok and just had a kale smoothie and will do some excising, should be fine.
Me, Rain, acrylic
Jackson Pollock, Number 1, Oil, 1948
Jackson Pollock, Oil, Elegant Lady, 1951