what I look at is whatever I make of it
hmm not exactly, the essence of expressionist paintings relies on the viewers "emotional" attachement, rather than in impersonal perceptive (figurative) painting. Something can exist in more than one form and still be "true". A good example is Joseph Kosuth's - One and Three Chairs
Joseph Kosuth's - One and Three Chairs
What it depicts is three chairs, even though really theres only one. what we are doing when looking at an image or text, is we associate memory and experience (and even with the physical object) to define it. So to an extent it is "what we make of it"
All that "abstract" art requires is a commitment to try and associate/identify with the painting, once you understand the visual language, it becomes an existable space, rather than a series of lines and shapes.
this is another great example its Picasso's Goat's head lamp and book, try and identify the sparate elements within the painting, even though they could never physically exist, they are almost real.
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