Understanding Visual Art

Most people, even many artists, are confused when they use the terms fine art-visual art. This is where it all begins: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and so on. When you walk into a gallery or museum, most of what you see falls into this category. But here’s what you don’t know that within visual art, there are two main ways artists express themselves. They’re representational art and non-representational art.

• Representational Art: What You See is What You Get

Let’s break it down: representational art is pretty straightforward. It's what most people imagine when they think of traditional art. Here, the artist is trying to show you something recognizable—people, landscapes, objects. It’s art that represents real life, and it’s been around for centuries. Think of the old masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The goal of representational art is to make you feel like you're looking at the real thing, only through the eyes of the artist.

• Non-Representational Art: Enter Abstract Art

Now, this is where things get a little more… mysterious. Non-representational art, also known as abstract art, doesn’t try to show you a familiar subject. Instead, it plays with colors, shapes, and forms to evoke emotions, ideas, or moods. There’s no clear image of a person, a house, or a tree. And here’s where the misconception comes in—because this kind of art doesn’t look like something you can recognize, people tend to think it’s somehow different from or even opposite to fine art. But that’s not true at all!

Abstract art is just as much a part of fine art as non-representational art. It’s simply a different way of expressing creativity. Artists like Kandinsky, Pollock, or Rothko weren’t trying to capture the real world—they were exploring deeper emotions and concepts, and their tools were colors and forms.

The Misconception: Why People Think Abstract Art is Different

Now, why do so many people believe that abstract art and fine art are at odds with each other? Well, it’s mainly because abstract art doesn’t fit into the neat, recognizable box that representational art does. When you look at a realistic painting, it’s easy to say, “Oh, that’s a portrait” or “That’s a landscape.” But with abstract art, the reaction is often, “What am I looking at?” And that uncertainty leads to the false idea that abstract art isn’t fine art.

But here’s the truth: Fine art is a broad category that includes all kinds of artistic expression, whether it’s showing something recognizable or playing with abstract concepts. Fine art isn’t about whether something looks “real.” It’s about the artist’s intent to create something that resonates emotionally or intellectually.