Questions

Look at what is happening in this work of art. Are things moving slowly or quickly? How can you tell?

How would you describe the lines and shapes in this work of art?

What emotions do you think are expressed in this work of art?

Act out what you think would happen next in this work of art.

Why do you think the artist made this work of art?

Some context for the artwork

Franz Kline is part of the Abstract Expressionist art movement. Even though many of the artists in this movement, including Kline included, had been trained as figurative artists, they chose to work abstractly, believing that by focusing on the basic art elements (line, color, shape) they could evoke a transcendent experience for a viewer. In Cross Section, thick strokes of black and white paint are layered, emphasizing movement in the composition. This work is often referred to as an example of action painting because it can be seen as a record of its making.

Activity

Action painting is akin to an artist dancing around their canvas. Watch this video to see how three contemporary dance artists reinterpret Kline’s movements in Cross Section.

“Moving images
When you stare at something for a while it starts to move.
When you focus/think on it long enough it will move you.” -Michele Dooley

"There is movement present in a painter’s trace. In the remnants of each brush stroke one can sense action, physicality and gravity. What does it feel like to be a paint brush to watch and listen to it’s swipe and feel each stroke embodied. What does it feel like to move with and through a painting? In the wash of this physicality there are the inevitable left overs and spillages. That space of imperfection and slippage draws me in." -Nia-Amina Minor

“When approaching making movement in response to this work, I immediately was drawn to how abstract it was. Only having black and white strokes leave so much room for interpretation and storytelling. I imagined I was a part of the black strokes, weaving in and out of the white portions. There’s a moment where I slowly slip my shoes off; this was improv, but I envisioned that I was leaving the black strokes to enter white strokes, intertwining them both, one not existing without the other.” -Amanda Morgan

A little about the technique we’re using

According to Project MUSE, a Harvard research initiative, five entry points exist for looking at art: narrative, foundational, experiential, aesthetic, and logical. See which entry point resonates with you when looking at abstract art.