The beauty of abstract art is in how it allows the viewer to impart their own emotions, experiences and thoughts onto their artwork. These artworks provide a gateway away from reality, focusing on sensation and intention over all else. An abstract artwork is sure to pack a visual punch when hung pride of place in your home. Ranging from splashes of colour to detailed collages and geometric shapes, abstract art breaks down all boundaries - it's a true form of expression.
Join us as we dive into the work of abstract artists such as Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst and Hannah Thomas - all of whom create statement artworks that are bold, textural and gestural, giving life to the artwork and instilling it with energy and character.
The art of abstraction dates back to the 20th century, when a select few artists shunned the need for realism, instead turning to the examination of visual perception and the mechanics of painting. Gone were the days of studying life models - the focus instead was on movement, light, space, colour and, perhaps most importantly, emotion. The abstract movement has echoed through the decades after its invention, producing world famous artists for their innovative concepts and works.
Hirst, Richter, Grosse, Thomas and Misina instil their artworks with movement purely through the strokes of their brush; they speak to the emotional and introspective side in all of us. Whether you’re drawn in by Hirst’s minimalist dot compositions, Grosse’s rapid brush marks or Richter’s layers of paint, it's easy to fall in love with these artists.
Are you looking for a statement artwork for your wall? We have your answer There’s no denying it - these artists and their artworks sing with energy and vibrancy. Don't believe us? Take a look for yourself below.
Damien Hirst, the famed British painter, sculptor and assemblage artist, is internationally known for creating provocative artworks. Rising to fame as a figurehead of the YBAs in the 1990’s and excelling on the international art scene, Hirst has solidified his place in contemporary art history. We love the way his curiosity with the human condition shines in his artwork, from his famous skulls to these multicoloured spots.
Hirst lives and works in London, Gloucestershire, and Devon, UK. He has created installations, sculptures, paintings, and drawings dealing with broad subjects such as the relationships between art, beauty, science, life, and death. Hirst’s artwork deals with such broad subjects such as the relationships between art, beauty, science, life, and death. He has said, “Art’s about life and it can’t really be about anything else … there isn’t anything else.” His vulnerability and curiosity with the human condition inevitably shines in his artwork, from his butterfly artworks to his iconic multicoloured spots. Want to learn more about Hirst? Check out our blog post on the artist here.
H10-5 Taytu Betul by Damien Hirst
Gerhard Richter has a diverse style and throughout his career, Richter has navigated between realism and abstraction, exploring the material implications of various mediums without restraint. The artist has said of his practice: “I blur to make everything equal, everything equally important and equally unimportant.” We love how Richter’s abstract artworks are all about the process of creation; you can see that artist’s thought process in the carefully applied layers and thick paint. Richter uses abstraction to add an air of mystery to his artworks. Discover more of his artworks here.
Beautiful yet macabre, Hannah Thomas' abstract artworks are complex and ambiguous, with these emotional conflicts fighting for attention on the canvas. Hannah embraces the freedom that abstraction provides, letting her paintbrushes do the talking. We love how Hannah creates experimental works that defy all form and sense of space. Her work is a pure form of creativity that refuses to follow any rules.
Hannah lives and works in Wiltshire, UK. Her experimental abstract pieces overwhelm the senses and unsettle the eye, creating an aura of unbalance that radiates from the painting. Hannah spent much of her childhood abroad travelling with her geologist father. These feelings of rootlessness and familiarity with the title of ‘outsider’ trickle down into Hannah’s work. Discover her gestural artworks here.
Katharina Grosse takes abstraction to the next level. The artist uses explosive colour sprayed directly onto architecture, landscapes, and interiors as well as canvases to free abstract painting from the traditional confines. Her in situ artworks open up the artworks to countless possibilities as the experience of painting is imbued with immersive subjectivity allowing for spontaneity in the process of creating. We love how Katerina’s artworks often look like grandiose physical manifestations of painterly gestures, as if abstract, gestural forms and brush marks have burst off the surface of a painting. Explore Katharina's artworks here.
Dragomir Mišina's vibrant abstract artworks are a refreshing shot of colour. Whist his paintings may seem spontaneous, Dragomir's dynamic process is actually carefully considered and arranged. Starting with brush strokes, scrawling, and graffiti the artist builds up his pieces layer by layer until he is satisfied. Dragomir has described his paintings as a “thought process” that promotes drive and reflection. We love Dragomir's organic approach to abstract painting. Explore Dragomir's textured original artworks here.
Take Care 4 by Dragomir Mišina
Need some more abstract art inspiration? Here are 8 abstract artworks that will complement your space. Explore our abstract artworks collection to get a taste of what we have to offer.
