Abstract art: representing invisible processes, not objects

Abstract art is often misunderstood as disconnected from reality, but it actually explores invisible aspects of experience such as time, movement, rhythm, and transformation. Pioneers like Kandinsky (emotion and spirituality through color), Mondrian (geometric order underlying nature), and Bridget Riley (visual perception and movement) shifted focus from appearances to underlying processes. Contemporary British artist Jacqueline Duncan continues this tradition by observing water systems along the Dart estuary in southwest England. She translates tidal patterns, light, currents, and seasonal changes into abstract works that capture the essence and energy of a place rather than its literal appearance. Duncan lived in Brazil for over two decades and maintains strong ties there, drawing inspiration from Brazilian rivers and coastal ecosystems. Represented by Galeria Eduardo Fernandes, her work is gaining recognition in the Brazilian art scene. She states that water has become a way to understand rhythm, time, change, flow, and interconnection, not just a subject to depict.