What does abstraction in art aim to achieve?

Abstraction in art seeks to distill objects, concepts, or emotions down to their most essential forms, focusing on the underlying ideas rather than realistic representations. By eliminating unnecessary details, artists can emphasize shapes, colors, and lines, which often convey feelings or ideas more powerfully than realistic portrayals. This process allows viewers to engage with the artwork on a more conceptual level, inviting personal interpretation and emotional responses based on the essence of the subject rather than its literal depiction.

In contrast, creating detailed representations of forms leans towards realism, which focuses on accuracy and fine details. Combining multiple colors seamlessly typically refers to technical aspects of color blending and may be used in abstraction, but it does not define the core goal of abstract art. Lastly, utilizing historical references pertains more to contextualizing artworks within art history or themes rather than the practice of abstraction itself. Thus, reducing an object to its simplest form captures the fundamental aim of abstraction, emphasizing clarity and creative expression.