Abstract Expressionism
By: Christy Balewski
&
Sam Bush
What it is…
• Abstract Expressionism is a
painting movement in which artists
typically applied paint rapidly, and with
force to their huge canvases in an effort
to show feelings and emotions.
– non-geometrically, sometimes applying
paint with large brushes, and looks as if to
be an accident but is really quite planned.
History
• European artists began
moving to America
during WW II.
• The main result of the
new American
fascination with
Surrealism was the
emergence of Abstract
Expressionism.
Jackson Pollack
Ocean Greyness
1953
• Produced in New York
roughly between 19401960.
• Made New York the
center of the art world,
and was often called the
“New York School”.
•Artists wanted to establish their
independence from European surrealists
and other art trends.
•Abstract Expressionism was the first
art movement to influence artists
over seas, rather than vice versa.
• Arshile Gorky was the artist to put this
movement into motion, because his art
ideals were obtained from Surrealism,
Picasso, and Miro.
• Emphasized the depiction of emotion’s
rather then objects.
• Paintings consisted of shapes, lines, and
forms meant to create a separate reality
from the visual world.
Hans Hoffman
Rising Moon
“What was to go on the canvas was not
a picture, but an event.”
Critic- Harold Rosenberg
European Influence
• European Surrealists obtained their notion of the
unconscious mind, from Sigmund Freud.
• Many Americans at this time, derived Carl Jung’s
theory- the “collective unconscious” holds that
beneath ones private memories, is a store house of
feeling and symbolic thoughts.
• With all the European influence, Abstract
Expressionists sought universal themes within
themselves.
Action/Gestural Painting
• One of the two
techniques for Abstract
Expressionism was
known as Action
Painting.
– A style of painting
which paint is
spontaneously dripped,
splashed or smeared
onto the canvas, rather
then being carefully
applied.
Willem de Kooning- Paris Review
1979
Jackson Pollock
(1912-1956)
• Influenced by Mexican muralist painters, and
Surrealism.
• Canvases were usually on the floor, or the wall
where he dripped or poured on the paint.
• Used knives, sticks, or towels instead of
brushes.
• Occasionally putting sand, broken glass, or
other matter, into his paintings.
• Resulted in direct expression and “Action
Painting”.
Jackson
Pollock
Shimmering
Substance
1946
Jackson Pollock
Enchanted Forest
1947
Jackson Pollock
Lavender Mist
1950
“I have no fears
about making
changes, destroying
the image…
because the
painting has a life
of its own.”
Jackson Pollock
Arshile Gorky
(1904-1948)
• 3 Factors in work
of the 1940’s
– Intense childhood
memories of Armenia,
prime subject matter.
– Growing interest in
Surrealism.
– Many discussion with
colleagues about
Jungian ideas.
•The unstructured
shapes, and drips of
paint hint at the fluidity
of the Waterfall.
Waterfall- Arshile
Gorky (1943)
Arshile Gorky - One Year the Milkweed
1944
Willem de Kooning
• A pioneer in Abstract
Expressionism.
• Tried to capture energy
and emotion through
Action Painting.
• Alternated between
abstract and figural
painting.
• Blended traditional
forms, with a sense of
uncertainty.
Willem de Kooning
Woman I
1950-1952
Willem de Kooning
Pink Angels
1945
Willem de Kooning
Black Friday
1948
Willem de
Kooning
Women III
1952
Willem de Kooning
Excavation
1950
Franz Kline
(1910-1962)
• His works around
1946 had a Cubist
structure, or were
abstract.
• Around 1950, he
made large
calligraphic
paintings in black
and white.
• In 1958, Kline
introduced color in
some of his works.
Franz Kline
Figure Eight
1952
Franz Kline
New York, N.Y.
1952
Franz Kline
Untitled
1958
Color Field/Chromatic
Painting
• The Second Type of Abstract
Expressionism paintings.
• Paintings with solid area of color
covering the whole canvas.
• Meant to be seen up close, so the viewer
is immersed in color.
Mark Rothko
(1903-1970)
• Asymmetrical blocks
of color, and painted
the edges of his
canvases, then
displayed them
without frames.
• Titles were
unimaginative
leaving the
interpretation up to
the viewer.
Mark Rothko
Red, Orange, Tan
and Purple
1949
Mark Rothko
Orange and Red on Red
1957
Kenneth Noland
(1924-2010)
• First to stain
canvases with
thinned paints.
– Appeared as pure and
saturated color.
• Made concentric
rings, and parallels,
in relation to the size
of the canvas.
Kenneth Noland
Heat
1958
Kenneth
Noland
Back and Front
1960
Sculptures
• David Smith is one of the most famous
Abstract Expressionism sculptor’s
• He created large, steel geometric sculptors
• His motivations were similar to that of the
painters
• His most famous sculptors are his Cubi series
David Smith
Cubi XIX
1964
What it Influenced
• Created a whole new way to look at art
• Influenced later art movements
– Pop Art
– Minimalism
– Tachisme