Abstract expressionism

SMITH_CUBI_VI

File:Newman-Onement 1.jpg

Newman-Onement_1

File:'Symphony No. 1, The Transcendental', oil on canvas painting by Richard Pousette-Dart, 1941-42, Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg

'Symphony_No._1,_The_Transcendental',_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Richard_Pousette-Dart,_1941-42,_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art

File:Gorky-The-Liver.jpg

Gorky-The-Liver

File:'Boon' oil on canvas painting by James Brooks, 1957, Tate Gallery.jpg

'Boon'_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_James_Brooks,_1957,_Tate_Gallery

File:Cyclops, 1947, William Baziotes.JPG

Cyclops,_1947,_William_Baziotes

File:Jean-Paul Riopelle, 1951, Untitled, oil on canvas, 54 x 64.7 cm.jpg

Jean-Paul_Riopelle,_1951,_Untitled,_oil_on_canvas,_54_x_64.7_cm

Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris.

Characteristics

Abstract expressionism is characterized by its emphasis on spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation. The movement's name is derived from the combination of the emotional intensity and self-denial of the German Expressionism with the anti-figurative aesthetic of the European abstract art schools such as Futurism, the Bauhaus, and Synthetic Cubism. Additionally, it has an image of being rebellious, anarchic, highly idiosyncratic, and, some feel, nihilistic.

Key Artists

Some of the most prominent artists associated with abstract expressionism include:

• Jackson Pollock
• Willem de Kooning
• Mark Rothko
• Franz Kline
• Robert Motherwell
• Clyfford Still
• Barnett Newman
• Ad Reinhardt
• Lee Krasner
• Joan Mitchell

Techniques

Abstract expressionist artists employed various techniques, including:

• Action painting: A style where paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed, or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied.
• Color field painting: Characterized by large fields of flat, solid color spread across or stained into the canvas creating areas of unbroken surface and a flat picture plane.

Influence and Legacy

The movement had a profound influence on both the American and international art scenes. It paved the way for later movements such as Pop Art, Minimalism, and Postmodernism. The legacy of abstract expressionism can be seen in the works of contemporary artists who continue to explore the boundaries of abstraction and expression.

Related Pages

• Expressionism
• Modern art
• Surrealism
• Cubism
• Futurism
• Bauhaus
• Pop Art
• Minimalism
• Postmodernism