Geometric Expressionism *See Geometry in Art History for theoretical background.

• Using the emotional and symbolic power of shape in various

aspects of 3d representation.

1. Emotional impact? Vincent 4 after Self Portrait with a Bandaged Ear

• What influences our perception when we look at a Van Gogh self portrait? E.g, Can we look at it without considering the fact he cut off his ear lobe?

• Why do accounts of van Gogh written by psychologists seem so sterile while those written by art critics seem so full of life?

• As an artist, what do we feel towards the van Gogh story? Sympathy? Envy?

The self as a battleground between liberation and restraint. What is the emotional contrast between the flowing lines of background with geometric forms of the face?

Gauguin: a Stockbroker and an Artist

• Before becoming an artist, Gauguin was a successful stockbroker. How to represent two different lives using geometry?

2. Shape symbolism - The Psychologist 2007 by Chad Swanson

According to psychogeometrics, scientists tend to like triangles, social workers like circles and artists tend to like squiggly lines. What shapes would the psychologists like?

Is there something illogical about pyschologists developing logical theories to explain why people don’t behave logically?

Do psychologists sterilise themselves in their dealing with patients?

3. 3d composition – Vincent in the asylum

• Contrast the relationships between isometric forms in the face and the one-point perspective that binds that forms of the asylum hallway.

• What affect does the blending of methods of 3d representation have?

• Where is the focal point of the painting?

The Gestalt – The Whole is More than the Sum of the Parts

• In perspective compositions, the relationship between geometric forms is dominated by their position relative to the vanishing point. Therefore, removing a form doesn’t have a huge impact on the whole of a painting as the pattern remains the bound to the vanishing point and gaps can be filled in.

• In isometric compositions, the relationship is often not easy to define. This allows a form to have an independent existence; however, the whole feel of a painting changes if the singular form is removed.

Gestalt Vincent – No obvious relationship but all parts influence the whole

About author

• Chad Swanson is an Australian visual artist with an educational background in both visual art and psychology. In 2009, he had the solo exhibition, Meeting Van Gogh, in which he presented a visual application of Geometric Expressionist theory using the portraits of Vincent van Gogh as a subject.

• Twitter: @artofchad