HOW ABSTRACT ART HELPS YOU SEE THE BIG PICTURE

Abstraction allows you to see with your mind

Abstract art doesn't always make sense - and the lack of instant understanding may be the very reason to enjoy it.

What do we know about abstract art and the brain?

MRI studies have shown how the brain responds to types of art. It seems interpreting abstract art requires us to use parts of our brain not normally used in daily life. Daphna Shohamy is Associate Professor of Psychology at Columbia University and co-author of a 2020 study into the cognitive shifts created by looking at abstract art.

The Columbia study concluded that people accessed a wider range of emotions and different levels of awareness when looking at abstract art compared with looking at representational art (with recognisable objects). Shohamy suggests that people found this change in mental processing rewarding. Daphna explains:

"Art has an effect on our general cognitive state, that goes beyond how much we enjoy it, it changes the way we think about things and make decisions.”

For example, a 2011 study analyzed eye movements of people looking at a Jackson Pollock fractal painting. Unlike with representational artwork, where eye movements tracked the objects in the painting, for Pollock's work, people tended to look uniformly across the whole canvas.

"There was a reviewer who wrote that my pictures didn't have any beginning or any end. He didn't mean it as a compliment, but to me, it was a fine compliment." Jackson Pollock.

These studies are fascinating. It suggests we are more likely to take in the WHOLE of an abstract artwork, rather than focus on one or two elements of a more recognisable composition. Thinking holistically, rather than being too focused on the detail, can be a useful mental muscle to flex.

How can Abstract Art help you?

Suggested Activity: If you tend to be very tactical, and you want to practice seeing 'the big picture' and being more strategic - spend 3-5 minutes looking at an abstract painting. Use the time to look at the whole canvas. Avoid going straight to the areas that instantly attract your attention. What do you notice?

Take a look at any of our abstract artworks to give yourself a mental shift, and experience the benefits of allowing yourself time to 'get' a piece of art.

Want to read more? Read 'An objective evaluation of the beholder’s response to abstract and figurative art based on construal level theory' by Celia Durkin, Eileen Hartnett, Daphna Shohamy, Eric R. Kandel.