👨🏻‍🎤European Art and Civilization – 1400 to Present Unit 11 – Abstract Expressionism: Post-War Art Trends

Historical Context

• Emerged in the aftermath of World War II during the 1940s and 1950s
• Developed in New York City, which became the new center of the art world after many European artists fled to the United States during the war
• Influenced by the horrors of the war, the Holocaust, and the atomic bomb, leading to a sense of disillusionment and a search for new forms of expression
• Coincided with the rise of the United States as a global superpower and the beginning of the Cold War
• Reflected the cultural and political climate of the time, characterized by anxiety, uncertainty, and a desire for individual freedom
• Benefited from the support of the U.S. government, which promoted Abstract Expressionism as a symbol of American cultural supremacy
• Represented a shift away from the figurative and representational art of the past towards a more abstract and expressive style

Key Artists and Their Works

• Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)
  • Known for his drip paintings, such as "Number 1 (Lavender Mist)" (1950) and "Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)" (1950)
  • Pioneered the "action painting" technique, which involved spontaneous and gestural application of paint
• Willem de Kooning (1904-1997)
  • Famous for his "Women" series, including "Woman I" (1950-1952) and "Woman and Bicycle" (1952-1953)
  • Combined abstract and figurative elements in his paintings, often focusing on the female form
• Mark Rothko (1903-1970)
  • Created large, color field paintings, such as "No. 61 (Rust and Blue)" (1953) and the "Seagram Murals" (1958-1959)
  • Explored the emotional and spiritual potential of color and simplified forms
• Franz Kline (1910-1962)
  • Known for his large-scale, black-and-white abstract paintings, such as "Chief" (1950) and "Painting Number 2" (1954)
  • Used broad, gestural brushstrokes to create powerful and dynamic compositions
• Other notable artists include Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, Robert Motherwell, and Helen Frankenthaler

Techniques and Styles

• Action painting, also known as gestural abstraction, emphasized the physical act of painting and the spontaneous application of paint
  • Artists often used large canvases, placed on the floor or against the wall, and worked quickly and intuitively
  • Techniques included dripping, splattering, and flinging paint onto the canvas, as well as using unconventional tools like sticks, trowels, and knives
• Color field painting focused on large areas of flat, solid color, often with no recognizable subject matter
  • Artists sought to create a sense of depth and space through the use of color and simplified forms
  • Techniques included staining the canvas with thinned paint, allowing the colors to bleed and interact with each other
• Many Abstract Expressionists worked on a large scale, creating monumental paintings that engulfed the viewer
• Emphasized the importance of the individual artist's creative process and personal expression, rather than adhering to traditional artistic conventions or representing external reality
• Incorporated elements of chance, spontaneity, and improvisation into the creative process

Philosophical Foundations

• Influenced by existentialism, which emphasized individual freedom, authenticity, and the search for meaning in a chaotic and absurd world
  • Artists sought to express their inner emotions and psychological states through their art
  • Rejected the idea of objective reality and instead focused on the subjective experience of the individual
• Drew inspiration from Surrealism, particularly the concept of automatic drawing and the exploration of the unconscious mind
  • Artists sought to tap into their subconscious and create art that was free from rational control or preconceived ideas
• Influenced by the ideas of Carl Jung, who believed that art could serve as a means of accessing the collective unconscious and universal archetypes
• Reflected the post-war existential crisis and the search for meaning in a world that had been shattered by the horrors of war
• Emphasized the importance of the creative process itself, rather than the final product, as a means of self-discovery and personal expression

Cultural Impact

• Represented a major shift in the art world, challenging traditional notions of what constituted art and how it should be created
  • Rejected the idea of art as a representation of external reality and instead focused on the expression of inner emotions and psychological states
  • Emphasized the importance of the individual artist's creative process and personal expression
• Helped to establish New York City as the new center of the art world, displacing Paris and Europe as the dominant force in modern art
• Influenced popular culture, fashion, and design, with abstract patterns and bold colors appearing in everything from textiles to advertising
• Reflected the cultural and political climate of the post-war era, characterized by anxiety, uncertainty, and a desire for individual freedom
• Contributed to the development of other art movements, such as Neo-Expressionism and Minimalism, which built upon the ideas and techniques of Abstract Expressionism
• Sparked debates about the nature and purpose of art, with some critics praising the movement's innovation and others dismissing it as meaningless or self-indulgent

Critical Reception

• Initially met with mixed reactions from critics and the public, with some praising the movement's originality and others dismissing it as chaotic and meaningless
  • Some critics saw Abstract Expressionism as a radical departure from traditional art and a celebration of individual freedom and creativity
  • Others viewed it as self-indulgent and lacking in skill or discipline
• Gradually gained acceptance and recognition, particularly after the influential art critic Clement Greenberg championed the movement
  • Greenberg argued that Abstract Expressionism represented the pinnacle of modernist art, emphasizing the flatness of the picture plane and the purity of the medium
• Became the dominant force in American art during the 1950s and early 1960s, with many artists achieving international fame and commercial success
• Faced criticism from some quarters for its perceived elitism and lack of social or political engagement
  • Some artists and critics argued that Abstract Expressionism was too focused on individual expression and ignored the broader social and political issues of the time
• Continues to be the subject of scholarly debate and interpretation, with new perspectives and insights emerging as the movement is re-evaluated in light of changing cultural and historical contexts

Legacy and Influence

• Had a profound impact on the development of modern and contemporary art, influencing generations of artists and shaping the course of art history
  • Paved the way for the rise of other abstract and expressive art movements, such as Neo-Expressionism, Minimalism, and Color Field painting
  • Inspired artists to explore new techniques, materials, and approaches to art-making, pushing the boundaries of what was possible in painting and sculpture
• Helped to establish the United States as a major force in the international art world, challenging the dominance of Europe and Paris
• Contributed to the development of new forms of art criticism and theory, particularly the ideas of Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg
  • Greenberg's emphasis on the formal qualities of art and the purity of the medium became influential in the development of Minimalism and other post-war art movements
  • Rosenberg's concept of "action painting" helped to shape the understanding of Abstract Expressionism as a process-oriented and performative art form
• Continues to be celebrated and studied as one of the most significant and influential art movements of the 20th century
  • Major exhibitions and retrospectives of Abstract Expressionist artists are regularly held in museums and galleries around the world
  • The works of artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko continue to command high prices at auction and are sought after by collectors and institutions

Related Movements

• Surrealism, which emphasized the exploration of the unconscious mind and the use of automatic drawing techniques
  • Many Abstract Expressionists, including Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, were influenced by Surrealist ideas and techniques
  • However, Abstract Expressionism moved away from the representational and symbolic imagery of Surrealism towards a more abstract and expressive style
• Tachisme, a European art movement that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, parallel to Abstract Expressionism
  • Tachisme, which means "stain" or "spot" in French, emphasized spontaneous and gestural brushwork, similar to the action painting of Abstract Expressionism
  • Notable Tachist artists include Jean Fautrier, Hans Hartung, and Pierre Soulages
• Color Field painting, which emerged in the 1950s and 1960s as a response to the gestural abstraction of Abstract Expressionism
  • Color Field painters, such as Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman, focused on large areas of flat, solid color, often with no recognizable subject matter
  • Emphasized the emotional and spiritual potential of color and simplified forms
• Neo-Expressionism, which emerged in the late 1970s and 1980s as a reaction against the cool, detached minimalism and conceptualism of the previous decades
  • Neo-Expressionist artists, such as Georg Baselitz and Julian Schnabel, returned to the expressive and gestural brushwork of Abstract Expressionism, often incorporating figurative and symbolic elements into their work
  • Reflected a renewed interest in the emotional and psychological aspects of art-making, as well as a desire to engage with social and political issues