geometric abstraction

Geometric abstraction is present among many cultures throughout history both as decorative motifs and as art pieces themselves. Islamic art, in its prohibition of depicting religious figures, is a prime example of this geometric pattern-based art, which existed centuries before the movement in Europe and in many ways influenced this Western school. Aligned with and often used in the architecture of Islamic civilations spanning the 7th century-20th century, geometric patterns were used to visually connect spirituality with science and art, both of which were key to Islamic thought of the time.

Abstract art has also historically been likened to music in its ability to convey emotional or expressive feelings and ideas without reliance upon or reference to recognizable objective forms already existent in reality. Wassily Kandinsky has discussed this connection between music and painting, as well as how the practice of classical composition had influenced his work, at length in his seminal essay Concerning the Spiritual in Art. (1912)

section Artists who have worked extensively in geometric abstraction include: • Nadir Afonso • Josef Albers • Amadour • Richard Anuszkiewicz • Mino Argento • Hans Arp • Rudolf Bauer • Willi Baumeister • Karl Benjamin • Max Bill • Ilya Bolotowsky • Patrick Henry Bruce • Kenneth Wayne Bushnell • Norman Carlberg • Ilya Chashnik • Joseph Csaky • Nassos Daphnis • Ronald Davis • Robert Delaunay • Sonia Delaunay • Tony DeLap • Jean Dewasne • Burgoyne Diller • David Diao • Ding Yi • Thomas Downing • Lorser Feitelson • María Freire • Günter Fruhtrunk • Albert Gleizes • Frederick Hammersley • Erwin Hauer • Mary Henry • Gottfried Honegger • Bryce Hudson • Al Held • Auguste Herbin • Carmen Herrera • Hans Hofmann • Budd Hopkins • Wassily Kandinsky • Ellsworth Kelly • Hilma af Klint • Ivan Kliun • František Kupka • Ronnie Landfield • Pat Lipsky • El Lissitzky • Michael Loew • Peter Lowe • Kazimir Malevich • Robert Mangold • Agnes Martin • Kenneth Martin • John McLaughlin • Peter Hugo McClure • László Moholy-Nagy • Vera Molnár • Piet Mondrian • François Morellet • Aurélie Nemours • Barnett Newman • Ben Nicholson • Marion Nicoll • Kenneth Noland • Alejandro Otero • Rinaldo Paluzzi • I. Rice Pereira • Francis Picabia • Harvey Quaytman • Ad Reinhardt • Jack Reilly • Bridget Riley • Ivo Ringe • Dorothea Rockburne • Alexander Rodchenko • Morgan Russell • Sean Scully • Victor Servranckx • Leon Polk Smith • Julian Stanczak • Henryk Stażewski • Jeffrey Steele • Frank Stella • Sophie Taeuber-Arp • Leo Valledor • Theo van Doesburg • Georges Vantongerloo • Victor Vasarely • Friedrich Vordemberge-Gildewart • Charmion von Wiegand • Zanis Waldheims • Gordon Walters • Neil Williams • Stanton Macdonald-Wright • Peter Young • Larry Zox