Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT
“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.” Pablo Picasso
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
I was at JFK on Thursday night seeing off a dear friend, Esmeralda, who was on her way to visit her family in Italy. As we waved goodbye, something hanging on the ceiling caught my eye and I decided to take a closer look. It was an abstract piece of art and even though I had no idea what it was at the time, I took a few pictures and filed them away. As it turned out, this week’s photo challenge calls for something in the abstract and those pictures came to mind. I decided to do a bit of homework before posting them and found out they were by the renowned artist/sculptor, Alexander Calder. They were from a series he did on flight and flying… So the name of that piece is Flight and it is created in the style of a mobile; just like the one you see hanging over a baby’s crib/cot. What came to mind when you saw the collage? I hope you like it.
“The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.” Lucian Freud
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Even though Calder used minimal colors in the piece, he was a fan of red, I decided to add some psychedelic colors to the mix and created a few more combinations of the collage I created. I used a couple of color contrasts in Pixl Express and it was kinda fun to play around with the different templates. The quotes by Picasso and Lucian Freud had me thinking. It’s fascinating to consider their points of view. Do they make sense to you? The quotes make sense in that we always start the creative process somewhere, maybe with an idea, and then it becomes something completely different. Looking at the piece at the airport without any knowledge of its history, all I saw was an abstract piece. But, once I got some context, it all made sense to me, no?
More Below!
“In the abstract conception of universal wrong, all concrete responsibility vanishes.” Theodor Adorno
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Weekly Photo Challenge: ABSTRACT – Flight Mobile by Alexander Calder at JFK Airport in Collage
Above is one of my original shots of Calder’s hanging mobile/Flight mobile at the airport and a collage I created of same. What does it look like to you? Did the idea of a mobile in flight strike you before you got some insight into the original idea behind the design? Do you even like abstract art or concepts? Do share.
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: ABSTRACT This week, turn the concrete and familiar into something new and mysterious. Find your own (proverbial?) chestnut tree. Point your camera at something familiar and turn it into something else. Whether it’s a wall in your house, a friend’s arm, or a billboard seen from afar, we may or may not recognize what it actually is. But we’ll certainly discover something else about it in the process. I look forward to seeing your take on abstract photography!
Positive Motivation Tip: If we pay attention, we can find beautiful things even in the most mundane places.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos copyrighted and from my Personal Collection
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Well Done!! 🙂
Hahaha! Thank you so much Frank. What a joy to hear from you. 🙂 <3
I love the quote by Lucian Freud describing what happens the longer you look at an object. I find this happening to me with the letters in words. The pictures are beautiful.
It definitely stopped me in my track and got me thinking too. The truth is like a bright flash in the dark… TY! 🙂
I love what you did with the photo. I also love the new look of your page.
Glad you like both. The purple background is another way I honor the memory of Prince.
I love the play on the colors. They give off different vibes which gives off different feelings.
Thank you. I like the colors and the vibe. 🙂
Yes brilliant Eliz, it looks like butterflies with their delicate motion.
Ah that’s a great one… I wouldn’t have thought of butterflies but, I see the connection. TY! 🙂
This is really beautiful Elizabeth. I find Picasso ‘s comment very interesting and I am pondering it.. I suppose the whole idea of looking at things from whole new angles can apply to human relationships also . . when we refuse to ‘box’ people into categories and so forth, we are more likely to discover who they truly are, in all their multifacets. People evolve through experiences, environments, relationships etc – ever changing, no matter how subtle, so that the person you are today may not be who you were last year..and who you were last year is become an abstract.
Exactly … and that is what struck me about his observation and also L Freud’s … everything evolves. <3
I love the Picasso quote at the beginning. I like your perspective!
I like how the way you do the photos! I enjoyed reading this. Keep it up!
Now those are some wonderfully abstract looking photos – took me a while to see the original picture haha! x
I had no idea that this was a flight mobile. To me it looked like a vase with the leaves from flowers hanging over. I enjoy looking at abstract art and was way off on this one.
This is really wonderful and great! Love how the way you play to photos. Thanks!
Abstract really does turn into something real. That is true in the classroom and in life.
You’re right. Beauty can be found anywhere with a decent eye. I love the photos. Alexander Calder did a really nice job. Now I want to look at the rest of his work.
Yes he always made huge, magnificent sculptures and you can find them in big cities like Chicago and New York. Follow the links to learn more. TY! 🙂