4. Empatia Astratta

Our lifestyle, daily actions, reactions, moods mainly depend on the relationships we have with the environment around us and, in our role as individuals understood as subjects inserted in a society, we move in the multitude of plots and interactions in a jungle of social, political and economic complexities that obviously influence and condition us.

 

We have seen how, for the control of a complex system, it is effective to transform a complex and out of control situation into one or more simplified and balanced conditions (see Systems Theory).

 

This exercise of transformation has allowed me to formulate a pictorial thought that I have called "Abstract Empathy" which aims to translate and represent the real, an idea, a thought, into pictorial compositions which, using shapes and colors, represent the most intimate and deepest aspects, through a language that, in line with our age, highlights its balance, simplicity and enhances its harmony, or that represents its three factors of positivity.

 

In reality, the objective is twofold: the first consists in transforming reality into abstract elementary forms and with colors that are able to highlight the intimacy of the subject and the positivity factors, the second is to communicate to the observer perceptions of these factors to transfer the importance that they have in real life and that everything can change according to these logics.

 

4.1 Definition of balance

 

We are sitting in front of two subjects, on one side the completely white canvas, the maximum of expressive freedom, on the other a real subject, be it a landscape, a figure, an object or a thought present in our imagination.

 

We observe or think about our subject, we empathize with him and we try to let him tell us about his most intimate aspects, his particularities, his secrets, his nuances, his deeper meanings, we must try to capture the deepest sensations and the moods that it manages to provoke in us.

When we feel that some sensation has passed, we try to represent it on the canvas. It is a rather complex step that takes time and depends exclusively on personal artistic sensitivity and the ability to feel emotions.

 

At our disposal we only have shapes and colors

 

In a composition the balance is dictated by the relationships that are created between the shapes, by their rhythm, by the way of uniting them, by their size, by the border that is created when we join them, namely:

 

Forms exist according to their mutual relationships,

forms create relationships e

relationships define forms

 

The rhythm obtained through the sequence of squares, rectangles and other simple regular or irregular geometric shapes is a form of pure expression that increasingly follows the subject and increasingly tends to something neutral, universal, in an increasingly defined and autonomous language .

 

The same logics can also be applied to colors and all the considerations that I have indicated in the chapter on color harmony apply.

 

4.2 Definition of simplicity

 

It is a duty to give meaning to the word "simplicity", since the term is ambiguous, or rather it can have two meanings.

The term "simple" is often misused to refer to a somewhat limited person. It is certain that there are differences in people, especially at the cultural level, but defining the least gifted as "simple" is an improper abuse of the term.

For simplicity we do not want to understand the external aspect that leads to understand a condition of smallness of goods or intellectual limitations, vice versa we want to give an interpretation of the term oriented to an internal aspect.

 

The concept of "simplicity" is very close to the concept of "reductionism", which starting from a scientific meaning, that is, the possibility of explaining a complex phenomenon by examining its elementary component, can be extended to art and therefore express meanings and emotions turned to the essence.

Observing with simplicity therefore does not mean reducing the number of details of a generic subject, but rather entering deeply into the subject to grasp and highlight the most hidden and pure aspects.

 

For example, if we observe a flock of birds, to represent them in their simplicity does not mean to represent a reduced number, but to grasp the deeper aspects and their languages, their instinct, such as the countless shapes traced in the sky, their direction, the their movement, the presence of a leader.

 

Leonardo Da Vinci said of simplicity:

 

"simplicity and extreme perfection"

 

Let's not confuse simplicity with simplism which, on the other hand, aims to numerically reduce problems and neglect important aspects with the result of obtaining a non-real vision, without meaning and emotions.

 

If we achieve true simplicity, we will obtain a splendid sensation of beauty, harmony and elegance and this is the true creativity, making the complicated simple.

 

Alber Einstein said:

 

"if you can't explain it simply, you haven't understood it well enough"

 

Simplicity is often used to reduce everything to completely superficial platitudes and to clichés that in reality do not simplify but confuse and remain only slogans and silly mannerisms.

 

There is a huge need for simplicity!

 

For Abstract Empathy, going deep means grasping its essence, sensations and sounds that the subject transmits to us, grasping the moods it causes, bringing them back to their simplicity through images and therefore elementary forms as simple as possible wrapped by harmonious and balanced colors.

 

4.3 Definition of harmony

 

Harmony is an ancient term essentially aimed at music, to mean a single simultaneous combination of sounds unlike the melody that indicates the combination of sounds in succession.

 

More generally we could define harmony as one:

 

"concordance between different elements that cause visual or auditory pleasure"

 

It is a question of relationships, of symmetry, of refined proportionality between the parts, of emotional and intimate understanding, a whole that communicates an effect of beauty and pleasantness for the senses.

 

From antiquity man has posed the problem of his relationship with reality and the universe and experiences the drama of "opposites" which create tensions and need for balance.

Examples of opposites are life and death, order and disorder, joy and pain, opposites from which the desire for harmony is born.

 

Harmony is necessary, indispensable especially in human relationships as it is harmony of feelings and convergence or respect for opinions that lead to living in harmony.

 

In Abstract Harmony, harmony is a convenient arrangement of shapes and colors within a composition, capable of producing great beauty.

 

The term "empathy" derives from the Greek "empateia" in turn composed of "en" which means "inside" and "pathos" which means feeling. Empathy therefore means "feeling inside" and going beyond the visible, it is a very profound form which, in the specific case, is used to grasp the internal aspects of nature, that is, how much nature is communicating to us and how much we feel in admiring it.

 

In summary we could therefore say that in the Area of ​​Abstract Empathy by harmony we mean:

 

to capture the sensations, the moods and the sounds perceivable by the deep observation of a subject present in nature or from an idea or thought and transform these sensations into a pictorial composition which,

using shapes and colors, you highlight the three factors of positivity, namely balance, simplicity and harmony

 

Having reached the final interpretation of the meaning of Abstract Harmony, we must face the problem of how this is accomplished in the pictorial creative act or the transformation of this meaning on the canvas.

 

Drawing from the figurative techniques used to paint landscapes, faces, still lifes is not for us, on the other hand, abstract techniques are much closer to our purpose.

 

As we said, purely informal abstract art completely annihilates the subject and overturns on the observer the understanding of the artist's meaning or thought, requiring a decidedly superior effort compared to the observation of a figurative painting.

 

Abstract Empathy uses the abstract as a means and not as an end, in the sense that it does not aim to destroy the subject but vice versa, it wants to transform and represent reality or thought into simple shapes and harmonious colors, highlighting the three factors of positivity.

 

Shapes and colors have an intrinsic meaning that must be used to tell what we feel by creating the right harmony.

For our purpose it is not necessary to use a color as observable in reality, but to use a color that is useful for the harmony of the painting and it does not matter if this color is not reflected in nature.

For the forms it is just as complex, you have to escape from the trap of reality and create forms that manage to express together the sensations we want to convey.

 

Below is a graphic representation of the differences between: abstractionism, figurative, abstract empathy.

 

abstractionism

 

Abstractionism is based on the desire to express what we feel through shapes and colors. The starting point is therefore the "inner necessity", the subject does not exist (figure 4.3.1).

 

 

 

 

 

 

figure 4.3.1 - Abstract art

 

 

Figurative

 

The purpose of the figurative is the more or less faithful representation of a subject as we see it in nature (figure 4.3.2).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

figure 4.3.2 - Figurative

 

Abstract Empathy

 

Abstract Empathy instead aims to transform the sensations arising from the observation of a subject into shapes and colors that enhance the intrinsic conditions of balance, simplicity and harmony (figure 4.3.3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

figure 4.3.3 - Abstract Empathy

 

 

The result is a form of "evocative abstractionism" deriving from the transformation of the subject into abstract forms and colors capable of recounting its internal meanings which can deviate from the subject in a very-little measure according to the representative needs.

I find that an "evocative" form can more stimulate the eye and mind of the observer who observes the canvas with greater interest and curiosity than pure abstractionism.

 

4.4 Stages of development of a composition

 

Stressing again that there is no formula or procedure capable of creating a composition according to the logic of Abstract Empathy, it is however possible to identify the development phases within which it is possible to organize the work.

 

First phase: OBSERVATION

 

In this phase the subject is chosen. The choice can concern different themes: an image, a landscape, a thought, the content of a book, a particular social situation, etc. (hereinafter referred to as subject).

 

Second phase: INTERPRETATION

 

We focus on the subject up to grasp the most intimate and deepest sensations. It is a difficult phase that requires time, concentration and perseverance - the idea does not come immediately!

 

Third phase: DESIGN

 

We need it to broadly define the structure of the abstract shapes that will be used for the composition and decide which shade to use. Personally, I proceed with a black and white pencil sketch on paper to define, even if briefly and certainly not definitively, a first idea of ​​composition. It is not necessary to bring the design to the final point, but to create a sort of "prototype", a sketch of ideas, a prototype that will be corrected and recurring during the realization phase.

A good approach is to define the lines, curves or areas that mostly convey meaning or emotion.

 

Fourth phase: REALIZATION

 

We are now in front of a blank canvas. It is a magical but also a dramatic moment: which way to start? The planning phase helps us. We proceed by first fixing the main lines of the implant (based on the sketch trace) as if instead of the brush we had a pencil or a charcoal in our hand. Do not try to define the colors but fix only the main shapes. Reflect on forms and try to understand if they represent what we want to convey. Then proceed with a very first sketch of the colors. Reflect. Do not fix any detail, if we did it certainly would not be good, it is like in the drawing, if we are drawing a nude it would be absurd to define a hand in detail before defining the general shape of the body and its proportions.

The realization phase is a continuous phase, if we see that the sketch "does not speak" we must reiterate the design phase if not even the ideation phase as new ideas may come as we proceed.

When our sensitivity senses that the idea has taken shape, we proceed step by step with colors and shapes always proceeding with a "prototyping" logic, that is, repeating several times on the drafts.

To return to the Theory of Systems, we are working on the "canvas" system to make continuous corrections - feedbacks - up to the creation of a more or less definitive draft.

 

Fifth phase: REVIEW

 

When we believe that we have completed the work, we begin the review phase and then the arrangement of details.

These are contained interventions and not such as to redesign the picture, such as color adjustment or small adaptation of forms.

 

To conclude, below I have included a series of works all made in oil on canvas of different sizes.

 

 

In the hope of having suggested some ideas, techniques or knowledge and of having stimulated the desire to paint, all that remains is to wish you a:

 

 

GOOD JOB