Standing before an abstract painting, the most commonquestion is:
“What is this supposed to be?”

This question assumes that painting should correspond to arecognizable object. Yet since the maturation of photography, painting’sfunction of “representing the world” has gradually shifted. It began addressingsomething else: the invisible structure.

I. Abstract Painting Is Not “Without Content”

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In the early twentieth century, several artists made afundamental shift:

• Hilma af Klint (1862–1944) translated spiritual structures into geometric     imagery.
• Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) used color and line to correspond to musical     rhythm.
• Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) no longer painted flowers, but the order between     vertical and horizontal lines.
• Barnett Newman (1905–1970) explored existence and the sublime through vast     color fields and vertical lines.

They did not abandon content; they compressed it intostructure, rhythm, tension, and state. Abstract painting is not empty—it ishighly condensed.

When imagery is compressed, the mode of viewing must alsochange. We no longer percieve the painting through narrative, but throughrelationships and differences.

II. Understanding Order Begins with Recognizing DifferentStructures

The differences in abstract painting arise from structuralarrangement.

1. Decentered Structure: Continuous Movement of the Eye

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In paintings by Jackson Pollock (1912–1956) and FranzKline (1910–1962), a single focal point is deliberately weakened. Energyspreads across the entire surface; the viewer’s gaze moves continuously acrossthe canvas, it’s like reading or following a motion.

2. High-Density Space: Compressed Energy

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In the paintings by Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985) and AsgerJorn (1914–1973), there is an increase on subjects that are comprassed toeach other. Viewing becomes intimate and tactile rather than expansive. Thesepaintings invite the viewers to percieve details rather than experiencing thepainting as a whole.

3. Homogeneous Spread: An All-Over Energy Field

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In the works by Mark Tobey (1890–1976) and YayoiKusama (1929– ), the surface is evenly distributed; each area holdscomparable importance. Viewing becomes a comprehensive sweep rather than afixed focus.

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Different structures create different viewing experiences:
A center stabilizes the gaze.
Looseness sets it in motion.
Density brings it closer.

In the absence of narrative, abstract painting designs therhythm of perception through structure.

III. How Do We Read the Abstract Paintings of Pascal vander Graaf?

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If abstract painting arranges structure to guide perception,then the work of Pascal van der Graaf (1979– ) approaches structure asgeneration and modulation. His paintings possess a stable center, controlledtension, and a breathable spatial distribution. When directional energy isclear and elements form stable relationships, viewing time naturally extends—thepainting begins to guide the act of looking.

Central and Peripheral Vision

When discussing the relationship between his practice andcultivation, Pascal noted a key point: when the gaze concentrates on the centerof the image, peripheral vision begins to process the whole.

Human vision includes:

• Central vision — responsible for detail recognition
• Peripheral vision — sensitive to overall energy and spatial relations

When the center is established and the gaze stabilizes,peripheral vision simultaneously captures the angles created by folded planes,the subtle vibration of light along edges, and shifts of color within thestructure. Gradually, the painting forms a sense of field.

This mechanism parallels the structure of the mandala.A mandala functions as a meditative tool not because of mysticism, but becausea stable center and symmetrical order naturally guide attention. AlthoughPascal’s works are not religious images, their structures similarly shapeperception through the interaction between center and periphery.

Folding and Time

The folded canvas directs energy inward; tension isregulated rather than released outward. The use of iridescent automotive paintallows the surface to shift with the viewing angle, incorporating time into theact of looking. The work does not exhaust itself at first glance—it unfoldsthrough sustained attention.

Compared to Pollock’s outward expansion or de Kooning’stearing tension, Pascal’s paintings incline toward inward concentration. Theydemand stability and focus.

Conclusion

Abstract painting does not provide stories—it providesstructure.

When a center is established, energy gathers; when tensionis regulated, viewing endures.

The relationship between Pascal van der Graaf’s abstractionand cultivation does not lie in religious symbols, but in the mechanics ofperception itself—how attention is guided, how structure shapes awareness.

At that moment, viewing is no longer simply understanding. Itbecomes a state.

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