When looking at the progression of art throughout the ages and the variation of art among different cultures, it is easy to note the aesthetic differences. The meanings and symbolism behind each style of art is a clear reflection of how each group of people viewed life. As Ellen Dissanayake states in her piece, “In the mid-twentieth century, more elaborate and abstract formalist standards were developed in America… in order to justify abstract expressionalism” (Dissanayake 18). Although the style had changed since earlier times, the new abstract movement captured the advancement of society towards a more truthful art scene. For example, Dissanayke states again, “Never in question was the ‘high’ art assumption that works of art—no matter how strange they looked, or unskilled they seemed to be—were conduits of transcendent meaning, of truths of the unconscious, expressions or revelations of human concerns…” (Dissanyake 18). This is a stark contrast to the previous religious era, in which art was meant to honor religious figures. In the mid-twentieth century especially, art became about the modern human experience in society.
In addition to the different inspirations behind the various styles of paintings, another advancement in the art world is the recognition that each piece of art means something different to each individual person. Although religious paintings clearly represent a specific story and were made for a specific purpose—to honor a specific religious figure—the progression of art and movement towards abstract art has inspired different interpretations. Dissanayake mentions in her section about postmodernism that this movement is about the encouragement of art and individual interpretation. Art represents the human experience. Each human should be able to relate his or her experience back to art in a way that makes a piece more meaningful.