Amazing Abstract Artists to Follow
My name is Veronica Rokashevich, and I’ve been painting all my life, but in recent years I’ve been developing my own style, which I call reflexive abstraction. I find inspiration in nature, space and myself. One of the most important things that have influenced my work is art from the great masters and founding fathers of abstract art and the avant-garde—Kandinsky, Rothko, Malevich, Pollock—or the present revolutionaries such as Banksy and the “King of Kitsch,” Jeff Koons. But, there are also other names you may not have heard of yet that are no less important and simply amazing. In this article, I’ll introduce you to my personal selection of abstract artists whose paintings caught my eye or have influenced my creativity. I realize this is just a small sample of the awesome abstract artists out there today, so if I’ve left off your favorite, please forgive me and let me know who you think should be added to the list in the comments section below. The Unlimited Possibilities of Modern Art Modern or current art is almost limitless in its manifestation. If I take the last 30 years, I can safely say that art has expanded and erased all the boundaries. Therefore, it is so difficult to single out only nine masters who would catch the eye and soul. By making a rough division of modern art into the ways it’s implemented, we get installation, performance, video art and painting. For the purpose of this article, I’ll dwell on the latter since I prefer canvases and paints. Here I’ll take a closer look at the non-objective art of abstract painting. If you believe the forecasts of art historians, this style will become more and more popular in the coming years.
1. Gerhard Richter (Germany, 1932- ) Of course, we should immediately highlight this master among the famous artists of abstract painting. Since 1960, the German artist, Gerhard Richter, has followed two polar-opposite paths—realism and abstraction. His abstract pieces are painted on giant canvases with decisive hand movements and colors that are quite mesmerizing. I could look at them forever. Instead of a brush, he often uses a squeegee to spread the paint. This elusive artist hides his personal life and not much is known about him, but his works still appear on the auction block for millions of dollars. Richter's most expensive painting, “Abstract Painting,” sold at Sotheby's London auction for $46.7 million. The artist is dismissive of the millions that collectors are willing to pay for his works.
4. Julie Mehretu (1970- ) To be honest, I’m drawn to the stories of women abstract artists. When I read their biographies, it's like I start to believe in myself more. One of them, Julie Mehretu, is a contemporary artist of Ethiopian origin. Her paintings are fascinating and dynamic, yet disturbing at the same time. Her paintings are like watching a silenced television show that’s transmitting multiple conflicting media that’s becoming alarming but is impossible to tear your eyes away from. Julie expresses, through lines and objects on canvases, her difficult past dealing with her emigration and all she encountered.
5. Pava Wulfert (Colombia, 1974 - ) I didn't even need to study the biography of this artist; his paintings speak for him. I can say for sure that Pava's work influenced my own. He wasn’t the first to take geometric, abstract backgrounds and non-primed canvas as a basis, but it’s the WAY he does it. I can look at that blue forever! Seriously, I'm almost crying. Pava was born in Ibague, Colombia and started drawing at the age of four. He is inspired by Kandinsky and everything that is “around" painting—palettes, brushes, rags. He uses infantilism in his works as a reflection of modern society. His work is so naive, yet disturbing.
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