Index: 

Architecture of selected works


  1. European Abstractionism: Roof
  2. Quantum World Order: Pillar
  3. Fourth Space - Outer Perspective: Pillar
  4. Art for a Better Ontology: Floor
  5. Fourth Space Meditation Centre: Entrance
  6. The Agprognostic Temple: Courtyard


European Abstractionism: Essay

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Dome Wood

European Abstractionism: Essay




European Abstractionism, a term developed by artist Dome Wood, represents a synthesis of two transformative movements in art history: the humanism of the Renaissance and the abstraction of modernism. This concept is not merely an aesthetic framework but an applied philosophical stance, offering a way to reconcile the grounding values of humanism with the expansive possibilities of abstraction.

Central to Wood’s vision is the idea of imprimatura, the preparatory layer of paint used in Renaissance painting. Traditionally a practical technique designed to create luminosity and depth, Wood reinterprets imprimatura as a abstraction of humanistic values. By its very nature as a warm ground, it embodies the essence of what humanism represents—reason, empathy, unity, and illumination—but in a distilled and symbolic form.

From this basis, Wood brings in the principle of abstraction, which he frames as the "freedom of not-being." In his view, this freedom reflects an indeterminate and open state, akin to the quantum mechanics concept of superposition, where particles exist in multiple potential states simultaneously. Abstraction, for Wood, offers this same multiplicity, transcending fixed forms and creating a literal space for the unknown. It is not merely a stylistic choice but a philosophical position—one that engages with the spiritual dimension of freedom and autonomy of being.

European Abstractionism, then, becomes the synthesis of these two ideas: imprimatura as the grounding abstraction of humanistic values, and modern abstraction as the freedom to transcend those values into the infinite possibilities of form and meaning. Together, they create what Wood considers a distinctly European sensibility—a sense of continuity with the traditions of European painting, but reframed through indeterminacy and openness.

The urgency of this vision becomes clear when considered in the broader context of today’s world. Wood identifies the current moment as one where the zeitgeist is marked by a pressing need to defend freedom and humanistic values against significant threats. Neo-conservative movements, far-right ideologies, and dogmatic religious thinking pose the suppression of openness and multiplicity that abstraction embodies. These forces seek to impose rigid boundaries and exclusionary definitions, pushing against the very freedom that makes art—and society—vibrant and evolving.

This context lends European Abstractionism a deeper significance. It becomes not merely an artistic concept but a response to a broader cultural and political crisis. By grounding abstraction in humanism, Wood’s philosophy emphasises art as a space for negotiation and possibility. It offers a way to navigate the complexities of the present, holding onto the grounding of shared humanistic and progressive values while embracing the freedom to imagine and create anew.

European Abstractionism, as envisioned by Dome Wood, is not merely an artistic movement but a philosophical framework for imagining a more expansive and humane world. It is rooted in what Wood describes as a "better ontology," a way of being that integrates timeless humanistic values with the open-ended possibilities of abstraction. This synthesis offers a path for art to address the urgent challenges of the present while remaining anchored in principles that have shaped the best of human culture.

In the mid-20th century, abstraction took on a distinctly American character through Abstract Expressionism. Emerging in the aftermath of World War II, this movement reflected America’s ability at that time to embody the “freedom of not-being”—a radical openness to possibility and a rejection of fixed forms. However, over the decades, this freedom has been constrained by the forces of neoliberalism and hyper-capitalism, which have commodified art and limited its capacity for genuine exploration. Simultaneously, the rise of far-right politics, white Christian nationalism, and “ over-sugared” ideologies in the United States has further stifled the space for genuine openness, imposing a branding system that enforces rigid and limited boundaries on cultural and intellectual life.

In this context, Europe holds a unique and critical potential. Despite its deeply troubled and violent history, its own political struggle and fraught geopolitical policies, the continent still retains a connection to the humanistic values that emerged during the Renaissance and the openness that abstraction demands. Wood argues that Europe can still reclaim and advance the freedom of not-being in a way that resists the forces of exclusive ideologies, totalitarianism and dogmatism. By expanding this freedom and grounding it in a broader perspective, European Abstractionism offers an opportunity to redefine art as a space of negotiation, inclusivity, multiplicity and most important indeterminism.

This vision challenges Europe to engage with its own contradictions: to acknowledge its dark past while striving to embody the principles of reason, empathy, and openness that have defined its most luminous cultural moments. In doing so, European Abstractionism becomes not just an artistic movement but a call to action—a reminder of art’s power to shape and reflect the ontological possibilities of a freer, more inclusive, and humane world.





”Quantum Light dance” oil on canvas, 120x80cm, 2024