The Modern State of Being: Mystical Spirituality in Twentieth Century American Avant-Garde Painting

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dc.contributor.advisorSmart, Marie
dc.contributor.authorYoung, Rebecca
dc.contributor.departmentUniversity Scholars.en_US
dc.contributor.otherBaylor University.en_US
dc.contributor.schoolsUniversity Scholars.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-04-28T16:36:20Z
dc.date.available2014-04-28T16:36:20Z
dc.date.copyright2014
dc.date.issued2014-04-28
dc.description.abstractThe singlemost misunderstood aspect of twentieth century art is the advent of abstraction. In the aftermath of the first half of the twentieth century, modern man felt that in order to regain his humanity, in order to find freedom again, he must break free from the rational, scientific determinism that defined twentieth century reality. Mysticism is the result of a reality in denial of natural laws, outside of rationality. This mystical reality manifested itself in the art of the twentieth century. In Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Wassily Kandinsky asserts that pure abstraction obtains sublime transcendence. Spirituality in twentieth century art tends to attach itself to the modern artist’s aspiration to achieve transcendent expression through the act of creation. In this thesis, I trace the progression of Kandinsky’s tradition through the work of American avant-garde painters Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock and Agnes Martin. These three artists believed abstraction was the most powerful means by which to convey spiritual concepts of renewal, wholeness, infinitude, perfection, sublimity and transcendence in their work. Through these artists, this thesis illustrates how the mystical spirituality of modern man manifests itself in the embrace of abstraction in American art of the twentieth century.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2104/8941
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsBaylor University projects are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.accessrightsWorldwide accessen_US
dc.subjectMysticism.en_US
dc.subjectAbstract Expressionism.en_US
dc.subjectWassily Kandinsky.en_US
dc.subject"Concerning the Spiritual in Art".en_US
dc.subjectGeorgia O'Keeffe.en_US
dc.subjectJackson Pollock.en_US
dc.subjectAgnes Martin.en_US
dc.subjectSpirituality.en_US
dc.subjectAmerican Avant-Garde Painting.en_US
dc.titleThe Modern State of Being: Mystical Spirituality in Twentieth Century American Avant-Garde Paintingen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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