Abstract expressionism

SMITH_CUBI_VI

Newman-Onement_1

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

Gorky-The-Liver

'Boon'_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_James_Brooks,_1957,_Tate_Gallery

Cyclops,_1947,_William_Baziotes

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

Techniques[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.