Contemporary Painting : Falling in Love

Abstract

This article originates from an interest in the behavior of falling in love, which is a fundamental experience that can be encountered at any stage of life. We can fall in love with objects, people around us, pets, food, beautiful stories, or anything we come across. Love serves as a connection to relationships be it the love between parents and children, siblings, friends, or romantic partners. The experience of falling in love begins from birth. Children first recognize love through learning to give and receive affection from their caregivers, responding to and understanding those who love and care for them. What’s mentioned may seem like just fragments of memory, but when we explore deeper, love is not just about emotions and feelings. It also involves elements within the body chemicals in the brain, scientific principles, and psychological concepts.

The study aims to create a painting based on individual inspiration. The researcher conducted research and a literature review and developed a painting to understand the reasons behind falling in love, which is a fundamental aspect of daily life. This research investigated documents and the works of artists and developed a creative painting, which integrates and connects concepts, forms, shapes, color meanings, symbols, and semiotics in visual arts. Additionally, this research applied theories of love, psychology, science, and art to the study.

The results of the study and creative experimentation conclude that falling in love results from perception, which is divided into 2 categories. The first one is Physical perception, specifically sight, which is the most important sense because vision can bring about attraction and the onset of love. The second one is Emotional perception, which is the feeling that responds to emotions under thought. Hence, the approach to creating the painting of the researcher is the principles of Minimalism, a style that is easy to understand and not complex in composition but includes symbolic interpretation. The artwork also draws inspiration from the vibrant colors of Pop Art, which uses bold colors and symbolic reasoning through painting. Therefore, all of these resulted in the creation of a series of four painting sets, including 1) focusing on the use of materials, 2) emphasizing painting everyday objects, 3) focusing on using colors to compare emotions, and 4) highlighting the use of pink colors and heart shapes. From the study, the fourth set of paintings best answers the research question when compared to the other three experimental sets.

The research led to the following conclusions: 1) Visual and Technical Communication Factors. The researcher adopted the Minimalist art movement as the primary approach for visual communication. Minimalism, known for its clarity, simplicity, and directness, effectively conveyed the intended conceptual reasoning. This approach influenced the exploration of color techniques associated with generating positive emotional responses. As a result, the researcher became interested in integrating color palettes derived from Pop Art, a movement characterized by vibrant and emotionally engaging color schemes, into the painting process. A theoretical and conceptual analysis of both Minimalism and Pop Art revealed significant coherence between their visual languages and historical contexts, as both movements originated during the 1960s. Furthermore, the work of artists from these movements demonstrated stylistic and thematic relevance to the researcher’s own creative process, particularly regarding themes of love, which played a crucial role in the development of the fourth stage of the thesis project. 2) Color as a Creative Factor in Painting. The study identified color as a key element in conveying the narrative of falling in love. Among the color palettes analyzed, shades of pink were found to be the most effective in expressing themes of affection. Pink evokes a sense of tenderness, sweetness, and gentleness, and it symbolizes romantic relationships. Universally recognized as a representation of love, pink has long served as a color of emotional and symbolic significance in both historical and artistic contexts. 3) Symbolism, Form, and Metaphorical Representation through Everyday Objects. The use of realistic human-made objects was employed as metaphorical elements to reflect the logic of daily life. These familiar forms were integrated into the artwork to mirror lived experiences. Additionally, symbols commonly associated with love such as the heart shapes is considered a universal symbol, essentially serving as a sign of love. 4) Materiality in Artistic Creation. Materials played an important role in the creative process. Specifically, the use of acrylic sheets mounted on canvas was introduced as a way to enhance visual perception and depth. The study concluded that perception is a fundamental factor in the emotional experience of falling in love, and material choices in the artwork were designed to engage and stimulate this perceptual process.