Soyutluk

Soyutluk is the quality or state of being abstract. In Turkish discourse, it describes both artistic and intellectual abstraction: the process of omitting particular details to highlight essential features, or the representation of ideas through non-representational means. It encompasses aesthetics as well as philosophical and cognitive dimensions.

The term is formed from the adjective soyut (abstract) with the suffix -luk, creating a noun that denotes a characteristic or condition of abstractness.

In visual arts, soyutluk refers to abstraction—works that emphasize form, color, and structure instead of recognizable subjects. It contrasts with figural or naturalistic styles. In Turkish art history, soyut resim has been part of modern and contemporary movements since the 20th century, reflecting global shifts toward non-figurative expression.

In philosophy and cognitive science, abstraction is a mental operation that extracts general properties to form concepts, laws, or models. Soyutluk as a term designates the outcome of this process: abstract concepts, general ideas, and theoretical constructs.

In literature and criticism, soyutluk may describe writing that foregrounds form, symbolism, or conceptual depth over concrete narration or imagery. Related terms include soyut resim (abstract painting), soyutlama (abstraction), abstraction, and generalization.