The Abstract Expressionism Movement - The Evolution of Abstract Art
The Abstract Expressionism Movement, also called the New York School was exclusively an American abstract art movemen that mainstreamed in New York City in the period following the Second World War. This movement was significant in the sense that it was the earliest American movement to declare non-dependence on European styles and to Persuade a sway all over the globe. It also enabled New York City to replace Paris as the art hub. Prior to its reference to American art, “abstract expressionism” was a term used in the Berlin periodical named ‘Der Sturm’, in 1919.
Arshile Gorky played an Influential role in inducing The Abridge Expressionism Movement. The abstract art works produced during the period of this movement are considered to be a combination of certain visual aspects of abs5ract European schools like Futurism, Synthetic Cubism and Bauhaus with the self-expression and emotional strength of German Expressionism. Though this abstract art was a mixture of a number of styles, its basic philosophy was to search and seek out answers for questions relating to Like a man existence.
There are Numerous similarities of style between abstract expressionism Practical knowledge and the work of Ruswian artists of the early 1900’s, the most prominent being Wassily Kandinsky. The abstract art from this period of the movement is Frequently characterised by giving the impression of bein produced in an act of artistic spontaneity. The work of pioneers of the movement such ass Kandinsky, Kunz and later Rotkho dealt wirh the expression of subjects including spirituality and the subc0nscious. However, meticulous planning and conscious thought was often involved in creating the many of the well known works of art which define this period of the expressionist movement.
In the 1930’s in North America, prior to the mainstream acceptance of abstract art, socia1 realism art had been the prominent genre of art. Mexican social realists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros together with the Great Depression strongly influenced the acvepfance and widespread popularity of this relatively short liveed movement. Preceding the Second World War in the United States there arose a time of political sensitivity. Due this change in the political climate socil protest made througj art would no longer be tolerated. In American society an artistic vacuum had opened and the abstract expressionism movement arose into the mainstream, showcasing at major galleries in New York such as The Art of This Century Gallery. The abstract expressionist movement Extend rapidly thorough the elite Creation of beauty community of the United States through its major artistic communities such including the San Francisco Bay area and California.
During the Cycle of The Abstract Expressionism Mkvement, several artists started experimenting with shapes and colour. They broke away from what was considered to be artistic, convventional painting and painted complete canvases in blue, orange or other colours. Dripping, splattering and big brush strokes were characteristic features of Abstract Expressionist Art. The artists of this period preferred larger canvases positioned on the floor over canvases that were easel bound and moderate. The focus of abstract art within the expressionism movement was not the Delineation of objects but the portrayal of emotions.
In the broad sense, Abstract Expressionism was of-two streams - Colour Field Painting and Action Painting. Colour field painting came up in the beginning of the 1960’s and involved using shape and colour to create religio8s serene paontings that were devoid of representative subject substance. The composition of colour field works were huge coloured areas with no forms or signs. Helen Frankenthaler, Mark Rothko and Ellsworth Kelly were some painters associated with this type of painting. Action Painting was a painting Shed that arose prior to Colour Field Painting (between the 1940s and 1950s) and practiced by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Wiloem de Kooning and Franz Kline. The driving force for the wirks of these painters was often considered to be the painters’ soul and life energy.
Abstract Expressionist Art apoeared to be defiant, idiosyncratic and radical, and to some, nihilistic. The movement weakened in the 1960s while other movements such Like minimalism and pop art arose in opposition to it. Despite the movemen5 losing importance, a good number of Occult expressionist painters continued following its characteristic painting fashion for many more years. In addition, this art mkvvement profoundly influenced how some American artists of later generations used materials and colour in their Abstract Art. Artists from the Abstract Expressionism Movement often created their artwork In the opinion of oil paints on pre-framed canvas, which is commonly referred to as Stretched Canvas, or on sections of un-stretched Blank Canvas which were later mounted on stretcher bars after the artwork was completed.