抽象艺术美不美
Abstract Art: Beautiful or Not?
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An article about abstract art and beauty perception.
40 new words
抽象chōuxiàngadj./v. abstract; to draw a correct conclusion from objective facts
有人欣赏古典绘画，也有人更喜欢抽象作品。
Some people appreciate classical painting, while others prefer abstract works.
古典gǔdiǎnadj. classical
有人欣赏古典绘画，也有人更喜欢抽象作品。
Some people appreciate classical painting, while others prefer abstract works.
欣赏xīnshǎngto enjoy, to admire
有人欣赏古典绘画，也有人更喜欢抽象作品。
Some people appreciate classical painting, while others prefer abstract works.
布bùcloth
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？
Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
规则guīzéadj./n. regular; rule
参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
派pàifaction, school; group of people sharing identical ideas, style or tastes
当然，这不表示自由表达必须遵守同一派的规则。
作品zuòpǐnwork (of art or literature)
有人欣赏古典绘画，也有人更喜欢抽象作品。
Some people appreciate classical painting, while others prefer abstract works.
洒sǎto sprinkle, to spray
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？
Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
极其jíqíadv. extremely
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？
Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
神秘shénmìadj. mystical, mysterious
有些颜色让人感到神秘。
Some colours make people feel a sense of mystery.
丑(陋)chǒu (lòu)adj. ugly
自由zìyóun./adj. freedom; free
当然，这不表示自由表达必须遵守同一派的规则。
设计shèjìv./n. to design; design
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
组zǔn./m. group, team, set
一组研究者把相似的画放在展览中。
One group of researchers placed similar pictures in an exhibition.
幅fúm. used for paintings and scrolls, etc.
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？
Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
出自chūzìto come from, to stem from
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
业余yèyúadj. amateur
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
婴儿yīng'érinfant, baby
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
猩猩xīngxinggorilla, ape
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
涂鸦túyāto scrawl
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？
Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
签qiānto sign, to autograph
有人会顺手在角落签名，留下创作的痕迹。
其余qíyúpron. the rest, the others
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。
Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
身份shēnfènidentity
参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
确认quèrènto confirm, to affirm
即使一张画很丑陋，若颜色和线条经过调整，观众也较容易确认它出自有目的的创作。
Even if a picture seemed ugly, viewers more easily recognised purposeful creation when colours and lines had been adjusted.
顺手shùnshǒuadv. randomly, without extra trouble
有人会顺手在角落签名，留下创作的痕迹。
分辨fēnbiànto distinguish, to differentiate
这个问题看似简单，却涉及我们怎样分辨意图。
The question seems simple, but it concerns how we distinguish intention.
挥huīto wave, to wield
艺术家可以挥笔、可以改变画面某个区域的色彩，也可以让画面活跃而不整齐；关键是这些选择是否形成了彼此呼应的关系。
可见kějiànconj. it can be seen that...
可见，作品里的组织方式会传递含义。
This shows that the organisation of a work can convey meaning.
哪怕nǎpàconj. even if
可是，当我们看一幅抽象画时，哪怕不能立刻说出意思，仍能观察它的布置、重复和变化，而非只问价格。
Still, when we look at an abstract painting, even if we cannot state its meaning at once, we can observe its arrangement, repetition, and change rather than asking only about price.
元素yuánsùelement
参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
调整tiáozhěngv./n. to adjust; adjustment
即使一张画很丑陋，若颜色和线条经过调整，观众也较容易确认它出自有目的的创作。
Even if a picture seemed ugly, viewers more easily recognised purposeful creation when colours and lines had been adjusted.
位置wèizhìposition, location
参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
含义hányìimplied meaning, implication
可见，作品里的组织方式会传递含义。
This shows that the organisation of a work can convey meaning.
区域qūyùregion, district
艺术家可以挥笔、可以改变画面某个区域的色彩，也可以让画面活跃而不整齐；关键是这些选择是否形成了彼此呼应的关系。
活跃huóyuèadj./v. active, dynamic; to activate
艺术家可以挥笔、可以改变画面某个区域的色彩，也可以让画面活跃而不整齐；关键是这些选择是否形成了彼此呼应的关系。
布局bùjúcomposition (of a piece of art or writing)
参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
事实shìshífact
研究目前不能证明所有观众都会作出同样判断，事实也许更复杂。
The research cannot currently prove that everyone reaches the same judgment, and the facts may be more complex.
目前mùqiánn. now, present
研究目前不能证明所有观众都会作出同样判断，事实也许更复杂。
The research cannot currently prove that everyone reaches the same judgment, and the facts may be more complex.
证据zhèngjùproof, evidence
了解作者怎样创造、怎样安排一组材料，能让观看更有趣；同时，保留疑问也很重要，因为证据和感受都可能继续改变。
话题huàtítopic
这类话题提醒我们，欣赏并不是被动接受。
Listen to the text
有人欣赏古典绘画，也有人更喜欢抽象作品。面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？有些颜色让人感到神秘。这个问题看似简单，却涉及我们怎样分辨意图。
yǒu rén xīnshǎng gǔdiǎn huì huà， yě yǒu rén gèng xǐ huān chōuxiàng zuòpǐn。 miàn duì yī fú sǎ mǎn yán sè de huà bù， huà miàn yě xǔ jíqí qí yì； guān zhòng cháng huì wèn： tā shì jīng guò gòu sī de yì shù， hái shì zhǐ shì suí shǒu de túyā？ yǒu xiē yán sè ràng rén gǎn dào shénmì。 zhè gè wèn tí kàn shì jiǎn dān， què shè jí wǒ men zěn yàng fēnbiàn yì tú。
Some people appreciate classical painting, while others prefer abstract works. Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling. Some colours make people feel a sense of mystery. The question seems simple, but it concerns how we distinguish intention.
一组研究者把相似的画放在展览中。一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。参加者不知道每幅画的身份，却仍会从规则、布局和元素的位置猜测来源。
yī zǔ yán jiū zhě bǎ xiāng shì de huà fàng zài zhǎn lǎn zhōng。 yī bù fēn chūzì yèyú huà jiā， lìng yī bù fēn lái zì yīng'ér huò xīngxing de túyā； qíyú zuòpǐn yóu shèjì shī wán chéng。 cān jiā zhě bù zhī dào měi fú huà de shēnfèn， què réng huì cóng guīzé、 bùjú hé yuánsù de wèizhì cāi cè lái yuán。
One group of researchers placed similar pictures in an exhibition. Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers. Participants did not know the identity of each picture, yet still guessed its source from rules, layout, and the position of elements.
他们发现，人们并不只按美丑作判断。即使一张画很丑陋，若颜色和线条经过调整，观众也较容易确认它出自有目的的创作。可见，作品里的组织方式会传递含义。
tā men fā xiàn， rén men bìng bù zhǐ àn měi chǒu zuò pàn duàn。 jí shǐ yī zhāng huà hěn chǒu lòu， ruò yán sè hé xiàn tiáo jīng guò tiáozhěng， guān zhòng yě jiào róng yì quèrèn tā chūzì yǒu mù de de chuàng zuò。 kějiàn， zuòpǐn lǐ de zǔ zhī fāng shì huì chuán dì hányì。
They found that people did not judge only by beauty or ugliness. Even if a picture seemed ugly, viewers more easily recognised purposeful creation when colours and lines had been adjusted. This shows that the organisation of a work can convey meaning.
当然，这不表示自由表达必须遵守同一派的规则。艺术家可以挥笔、可以改变画面某个区域的色彩，也可以让画面活跃而不整齐；关键是这些选择是否形成了彼此呼应的关系。有人会顺手在角落签名，留下创作的痕迹。
dāng rán， zhè bù biǎo shì zìyóu biǎo dá bì xū zūn shǒu tóng yī pài de guīzé。 yì shù jiā kě yǐ huī bǐ、 kě yǐ gǎi biàn huà miàn mǒu gè qūyù de sè cǎi， yě kě yǐ ràng huà miàn huóyuè ér bù zhěng qí； guān jiàn shì zhè xiē xuǎn zé shì fǒu xíng chéng le bǐ cǐ hū yīng de guān xì。 yǒu rén huì shùnshǒu zài jiǎo luò qiān míng， liú xià chuàng zuò de hén jì。
Of course, this does not mean free expression must follow the rules of one school. An artist may wave a brush, change the colours in one area of a picture, or make a picture lively and uneven. The key is whether these choices create relationships that answer one another. Someone may casually sign a corner, leaving a trace of the creation.
研究目前不能证明所有观众都会作出同样判断，事实也许更复杂。可是，当我们看一幅抽象画时，哪怕不能立刻说出意思，仍能观察它的布置、重复和变化，而非只问价格。
yán jiū mùqián bù néng zhèng míng suǒ yǒu guān zhòng dōu huì zuò chū tóng yàng pàn duàn， shìshí yě xǔ gèng fù zá。 kě shì， dāng wǒ men kàn yī fú chōuxiàng huà shí， nǎpà bù néng lì kè shuō chū yì sī， réng néng guān chá tā de bù zhì、 zhòng fù hé biàn huà， ér fēi zhǐ wèn jià gé。
The research cannot currently prove that everyone reaches the same judgment, and the facts may be more complex. Still, when we look at an abstract painting, even if we cannot state its meaning at once, we can observe its arrangement, repetition, and change rather than asking only about price.
这类话题提醒我们，欣赏并不是被动接受。了解作者怎样创造、怎样安排一组材料，能让观看更有趣；同时，保留疑问也很重要，因为证据和感受都可能继续改变。不同年代的观众带着不同经验而来，讨论本身也能让一幅画重新活起来。
zhè lèi huàtí tí xǐng wǒ men， xīnshǎng bìng bù shì bèi dòng jiē shòu。 le jiě zuò zhě zěn yàng chuàng zào、 zěn yàng ān pái yī zǔ cái liào， néng ràng guān kàn gèng yǒu qù； tóng shí， bǎo liú yí wèn yě hěn zhòng yào， yīn wèi zhèngjù hé gǎn shòu dōu kě néng jì xù gǎi biàn。 bù tóng nián dài de guān zhòng dài zhe bù tóng jīng yàn ér lái， tǎo lùn běn shēn yě néng ràng yī fú huà zhòng xīn huó qǐ lái。
This topic reminds us that appreciation is not passive acceptance. Learning how an artist creates and arranges a group of materials can make viewing more interesting. At the same time, keeping questions matters, because both evidence and feeling can continue to change. Viewers from different eras bring different experiences, and discussion itself can bring a painting to life again.
Tap a marked word for its meaning. Tap a line to see the English.
Grammar
面对一幅洒满颜色的画布，画面也许极其奇异；观众常会问：它是经过构思的艺术，还是只是随手的涂鸦？Faced with a canvas covered in colour, a picture may seem very strange; viewers often ask whether it is considered art or merely casual scribbling.
极其+ Multi-syllable Adjective
极其. '极其' is an adverb meaning 'extremely' or 'exceptionally'. It can only modify adjectives with two or more syllables.
在中国，餐桌上放一把刀是极其少见的现象。
Zài Zhōngguó, cānzhuō shàng fàng yī bǎ dāo shì jíqí shǎojiàn de xiànxiàng.
In China, placing a knife on the dining table is an extremely rare phenomenon.
一部分出自业余画家，另一部分来自婴儿或猩猩的涂鸦；其余作品由设计师完成。Some came from amateur painters, others from the scribbles of babies or apes, and the rest were made by designers.
其余+(的)+ Noun
其余. '其余' is a pronoun meaning 'the rest' or 'the remaining part'. It refers to the remaining portion after something has been mentioned or removed.
怎么只有你们两个人？其余的同学呢？
Zěnme zhǐyǒu nǐmen liǎng ge rén? Qíyú de tóngxué ne?
How come there are only you two? Where are the rest of the classmates?
可见，作品里的组织方式会传递含义。This shows that the organisation of a work can convey meaning.
Context，可见+ Conclusion
可见. '可见' is a conjunction used to draw conclusions based on previous context. It means 'therefore', 'it can be seen that', or 'obviously'.
他已经住院好几天了，一直没断不出是什么问题，可见情况不太好。
Tā yǐjīng zhùyuàn hǎo jǐ tiān le, yīzhí méi duàn bù chū shì shénme wèntí, kějiàn qíngkuàng bù tài hǎo.
He's been hospitalized for several days and they still can't diagnose the problem. Obviously, the situation isn't good.
Which word means “adj./n. regular”?
Culture
艺术形式 - Art Forms
Art has many forms, including painting, dance, drama, calligraphy, and film. Different forms use different materials and methods, yet all can help people express feelings, raise questions, and preserve memories. Appreciating art does not always require professional knowledge; quietly observing a painting or carefully hearing a piece of music can reveal new meaning. Artists draw inspiration from life, and audiences also understand works through their own experience. Because of this exchange, art can connect people from different times and backgrounds.
Write the new characters
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欣 from 欣赏 · to enjoy, to admire
Trace the strokes in order
Practice
8 questions · about 4 minutes
Pick the meaningListenFill the gapMatchWord order
Finish
Finish the practice to complete this lesson.