Figurative art

Figurative art is a form of art that has existed for thousands of years in cultures all over the world. Though the term figurative art commonly refers to art that has the human figure or animal figures as its subject, the term can also be used in the more general sense of distinguishing representational art from abstract art.

Figurative art can best be described as art in which something can be recognized. “Something” can be anything. Think of a person, landscape of building. The depicted is realistic and resembles something that exists. The basis of figurative art is realistic, a recreation. The ‘figure’ that is represented must be recognizable as such. Although we can clearly name what we observe in the work of art, it does not have to be reproduced completely faithfully.

Colors can be different (unnatural) and shapes abstracted. The opposite of figurative art is abstract art. It is the art that is not always well understood, because abstract art revolves around the thoughts and feelings of the artist. In contrast to figurative art, abstract art therefore contains no recognizable objects, persons or situations.

Starting in the 1970’s, there was a re-birth of figurative art. As the modern world began experiencing more social and political battles, abstract art seemed ill-prepared to describe and commemorate the challenges faced by people on all sides of the conflicts, and the more devastating experienced simply could not be exhibited with anything other than figurative art.