oh boy, oh beuys

wikipedia defines abstract art as art that uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. surprisingly, i find this a suitable and sensible definition.
last week i had the photo design students at aich spend some time exploring the world of abstract art.  we did a quick run through history, taking time to pause for picasso, worship at the rothko chapel, and enjoy the sweet little zips of barnett newman. it was a whirlwind tour, but we picked up a few interesting tidbits  (like joseph beuys, whom i referred to in the blog title, isn't exactly an abstract artist, but i couldn't resist) & hopefully, a greater appreciation for color field paintings!
abstraction is not everyone's cup of tea.  it took me years of history classes and museum trips to learn to appreciate the minimalists, but the art institute's photo design students seemed to pick it up pretty quickly. the images attached to this post were each made by an aich student.  enjoy the sheer beauty of their color, line and shape...