Abstract Expressionism

Abstract Expressionism and The New York School

Yellow, Grey, Black, 1948, Jackson Pollock

Abstract Expressionism stemmed from both the world of Abstraction and Expressionism.

Impression V, Wassily Kandinsky, 1911 The Feast of the Prodigal Son,

Max Beckmann 1918,

Shown are the three distinctive styles derived from the New York School artists, all are showing the varied styles of Abstract Expressionism.

, Virginia Landscape, Arshile Gorky 1944, Shimmering Substance,

Jackson Pollock, 1946,

Green and Red on Tangerine,, Mark Rothko 1956

, Virginia Landscape, Arshile Gorky 1944, Logged Mountians, Morris Graves, 1935-1943

In the images created by Graves and Gorky will you notice the concern was in adopting a peaceful and mystical approach to a purely abstract image. The focus here was on the dramatic.

Yellow, Grey, Black, Jackson Pollock 1948Jackson Pollock, Action painting.

Action painting as done by Jackson Pollock, the meaning is not in the painting but in the actual movement of the artist him/herself. Artists who created action paintings typically applied paint rapidly, and with force to their huge canvases in an effort to show feelings and emotions.

Number 3, 1949, Mark Rothko No. 17/No. 15 [Multiform], 1949, Mark Rothko.

Another group was Color Field Painting, which was used to explore the effects of pure color on the canvas; this was the method in which Mark Rothko was known

Untitled, Phillip Guston Gladiators, Phillip Guston 1940

Shown are the works of Phillip Guston the works he created were representational of the three styles which comprised Abstract Expressionism. Can you pick out the three styles?

Rothko, Guston and Pollack have been the most influential in the Abstract Expressionist movement due their individual styles.

To BWT 1952, Phillip Guston

Green and Red on Tangerine,, Mark Rothko 1956

Autumn Rhythm (Number 30),

1950 Jackson Pollack

Convergence, Jackson Pollock

This was the very first strictly American art movement that achieved world wide recognition.  It had put New York on the map as the capital of the art world, leaving Paris in a distant second place. 

For Further research go to

http://www.smarthistory.org/abstract-expressionism.html