WHAT MAKES ABSTRACT ART GOOD?

*photo Museum of Modern Art "The Big Picture" CBS news Dana Tyler

WHAT MAKES ABSTRACT ART GOOD?

What Makes Abstract Artwork Good?  
Abstract art has always gotten the response that anyone can do it but is it any good if they do and will it ever be valuable? Probably not.  All art has a complex web of things that make the art good, valuable, and worth collecting.  It has a long history of being passed down generation to generation or be auctioned off at higher and higher values.
Good art is judged on the technical issues of the way it is painted and constructed, and on the quality of the art itself. 
Does the art show the skills of a seasoned artist or the refined qualities of a professional artist with years of experience and a long and varied resume and exhibitions from around the world?  Do the layers of color and light in the artwork create interest and show the depths that exist on the surface of the canvas?
Is it original?  Does the artist have a recognizable visual language that is a strong proponent of who they are and what they have to say?  
When you look at this work, is it recognizable?  Does this artist have a body of work over many years?
Is the artwork relevant to the historical art background?  Can you see the influences of the great artists of the past?  Has it moved past what the referenced artists had to say and makes its own statement? 
Where has the artist's work been shown and who has the artist shown with in the past?  Has the work been shown with some of the great masters of this century and possibly past centuries?
Anyone can put paint on a canvas but distinguishing yourself in the very difficult art world is not an easy thing to do and is more difficult at this time in history.  The technique in abstract paintings can range from action to gestural to color fields or be a combination of many techniques that the artist has perfected over his many years of exploring the medium.  
Each technique has a high degree of difficulty that must be mastered.
If an artist is capable of creating a unique and recognizable technique, which is rare and much more difficult than it sounds, the artist will develop a following of collectors, curators, and institutions around the world and the value will increase every year. 
The lack of visual references in abstract art makes it more difficult because there is no reference to a landscape or person and the brain needs this.  Studies have shown that abstract art makes our brain work a bit more, exercising it!  This allows the viewer to be a part of the art.  
Todd Williamson
 
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