20th century American Art
Pre-Modern Art in USA:
American Regionalism
• Art in American during 1920s, 1930s
• Rejection of European art styles
• Celebration of American values
American Gothic
by
Grant Wood
Early Sunday Morning by Edward Hopper
Nighthawks Edward Hopper
The Planting by Thomas Hart Benton
Modern Art in America
• Influences
– Great Depression
– World War II
– Immigration of great European artists to
America
After World War II
• New art of the 1950s
• New York becomes center of art world
• Abstract expressionism comes to
America
• Jackson Pollock introduces “Action
Painting”
Abstract
Expressionism
Woman and Bicycle
by
Willem de Kooning
Action Painting
• Type of abstract expressionism
• Founder: Jackson Pollock
• Influenced by automatism
– unchecked self-expression
• Emphasis on creative “act” of
expression, not the result
Jackson Pollock
Number 8, 1949 by Jackson Pollock, 1949
Lavender Mist, No. 1, 1050 by Jackson Pollock, 1950
Pop art
• Reaction against abstract
expressionism
• Named after British “popular” art
movement
• Featured images from popular culture,
machine-made items
• Andy Warhol: leader of movement
200 Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962,
by Andy Warhol (p. 461, ArtForms)
Gun by Andy Warhol
Marilyn
by
Andy Warhol
Two Cheeseburgers with Everything (Dual
Hamburgers), 1962. Plaster. By Claes Oldenburg
(p. 461, Preble. ArtForms)
“I am for Kool-Art, 7-UP art, Pepsiart, Sunshine art, 39 cents
art…Menthol art…Rx art…Now
art…I am for U.S. Government
Inspected Art, Grade A art, Regular
Price art, Yellow Ripe art, Extra
Fancy art, Ready-to-eat art.”
Claes Oldenburg, quoted from ArtForms, p. 460.
Op Art
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“Optical” painting
1960s
manipulates line & color
stimulates eye
creates perception of movement
Entrance to Green, 1970,
by
Richard Anuszkiewicz
(p. 451, Understanding Art)
Conceptual art
• About ideas
One and Three Chairs,
1965,
(wooden chair, photocopy
of chair, & definition of
chair)
by
Joseph Kosuth
(p. 464, ArtForms)
Color Field Painting
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Large areas of color
No obvious structure or focus
Environments of color
Usually very large paintings
Blue, Orange, Red,
1961, 90”x81”
by
Mark Rothko
(p. 442, Understanding Art)
Photo-Realism
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Impersonal
Highly realistic
Influenced by photography
Usually no narrative significance
(doesn’t tell a story)
Photo-Realism & Chuck Close
Tourists
1970, fiberglass,
by
Duane Hanson
(p. 474, ArtForms)
Walk, Don’t Run
1976 installation
by
George Segal
(p. 474, ArtForms)
Earthworks & Site-Specific art
• Usually sculptural
• Large scale
• Earth work: manipulates natural
materials from the environment
• Site-specific: designed for particular
spot
Spiral Jetty, 1970, by Robert Smithson. Great
Salt Lake, Utah. 1500’x15’ (p. 466, ArtForms)
Lightning Fields, 1971-79,
400 stainless steel 20’7” poles
by Walter de Maria (p. 465, ArtForms)
Running Fence,
1972-76,
by
Christo.
18’x24.5 miles.
(p. 465, ArtForms)
AfricanAmerican
artists
Rocket to the Moon,
1967, collage
by
Romare Bearden
(p. 10, ArtForms)
Feminist art
• Influenced by female gender
• Promotes gender-related issues
• Sometimes uses female imagery
The Dinner Party, 1979, mixed media,
48’x48’x48’
by Judy Chicago (p. 488, ArtForms)
Guerilla Girls, 1992, Feminist Performance Art.
(p. 489, ArtForms)
Women & Dog,
1964,
by
Marisol
(p. 458, Understanding Art)
Performance art
• Drama and art combined
• Dramatic presentation by visual artist(s)
• Presented before audience, sometimes
unsuspecting and unaware
• Not presented in formal theatrical
setting
The Social Mirror, 1983, Performance art with
20-ton garbage truck
by Mierle Laderman Ukeles (p. 483, ArtForms)
Swimmin’ the River, 1987--, 2552 mile swim,
Performance art
by Billy Curmano (p. 481, ArtForms)
Folk Art
• Art by untrained artists
• Sometimes “visionary”
Coke Bottle,
by
Howard Finster