Abstract art transcends the boundaries of representation, offering a profound medium through which to explore the human condition. In times of crisis, the works of Mark Rothko and Cy Twombly stand as testaments to the ability of abstraction to articulate the inexpressible. Their influence echoes in contemporary art, including the work of Jane Garbett, whose upcoming exhibition, "Sleepwalking," will be shown by Aleph Contemporary in March 2025 in Stroud.
Rothko: Stillness, Existentialism, and the Abyss
Mark Rothko’s contemplative works—such as No. 14, 1960 and Black on Maroon—embody the existential questioning of philosophers like Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre. Rothko’s fields of colour, layered with luminous tension, evoke Heidegger’s concept of Dasein, or "being-there." His paintings are spaces of confrontation, urging viewers to acknowledge their existence in relation to the void.
Sartre’s existentialism similarly resonates with Rothko’s art. The stark contrasts of color, the weight of darkness, and the glow of light suggest the tension between freedom and anguish that Sartre described. Rothko invites us to feel existence as a profound weight, one that is both terrifying and beautiful. His famous statement—*“A painting is not a picture of an experience; it is an experience”—*aligns with the existential idea that meaning is not given but created through personal engagement.
Rothko’s spiritual questioning also aligns with Friedrich Nietzsche’s exploration of art as a means to confront the "death of God" and the resulting spiritual void. His works challenge viewers to find transcendence not through representation but through immersion in the emotional and metaphysical depths of colour and form.
Twombly: Chaos, Instinct, and Dionysian Energy
Cy Twombly’s dynamic, instinctive gestures—seen in works like Leda and the Swan and Untitled (Bacchus)—resonate deeply with Nietzsche’s concept of the Apollonian and Dionysian. Twombly’s art embraces the Dionysian: chaos, ecstasy, and the rawness of human emotion. Nietzsche’s philosophy, particularly in The Birth of Tragedy, posits that art rooted in instinct and emotion reveals a deeper truth than the rational, orderly narratives of the Apollonian.
Twombly’s scribbles and loops are more than marks on a canvas; they are acts of creation that reflect Henri Bergson’s philosophy of intuition and the élan vital—the vital force of life. Bergson emphasized the importance of instinct and intuition in understanding reality, an idea that permeates Twombly’s work. The artist’s raw, unfiltered gestures evoke the immediacy of life, bypassing rationality to connect with viewers on a visceral, instinctive level.
In Twombly’s references to mythology and history, we also find echoes of Roland Barthes, who wrote extensively on the interplay between text, symbol, and meaning. Twombly’s integration of text into his work, often fragmented and layered, becomes a philosophical act, challenging viewers to navigate the gaps between language, gesture, and interpretation.
Philosophy of Abstraction: Art as a Reflection of Being
Both Rothko and Twombly contribute to a broader philosophical conversation about abstraction and its role in articulating the human condition. Theodor Adorno, in his writings on art and aesthetics, argued that in times of crisis, art must resist literal representation. For Adorno, abstract art offers a space to grapple with the unspeakable—the contradictions, horrors, and beauty of life—without reducing them to simplistic narratives.
Similarly, Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology underscores the power of abstraction to evoke lived experience. In his essay Eye and Mind, Merleau-Ponty explores how art reveals the intertwining of perception and being. Rothko’s luminous spaces and Twombly’s chaotic gestures exemplify this intertwining, capturing the fullness of existence without relying on figurative representation.
Finally, Simone Weil’s philosophy of attention and the sacred resonates with the work of Rothko. Weil’s belief in the redemptive power of attention—a form of contemplation that opens us to the divine—parallels the experience of standing before Rothko’s vast, meditative canvases. His work demands presence and vulnerability, creating a sacred space for reflection.
Art, Philosophy, and the Human Spirit
Through the lens of these philosophers, Rothko and Twombly’s works become more than paintings; they are existential acts, philosophical inquiries, and profound engagements with the human spirit. Rothko’s luminous voids remind us of our longing for transcendence in the face of uncertainty, while Twombly’s chaotic gestures celebrate the instinctive vitality of life.
In a world often consumed by turmoil, their art challenges us to confront our fears, embrace our instincts, and find meaning in the abstract. As Albert Camus wrote, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Rothko and Twombly’s works, much like Camus’ philosophy, affirm the resilience of the human spirit—a reminder that even amidst chaos, creation is an act of hope.
