9.1 Abstract Expressionism: Action Painting and Color Field

Abstract Expressionism revolutionized painting in the mid-20th century. It broke free from traditional techniques, embracing spontaneity and raw emotion. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko became icons of this movement, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.

Action Painting and Color Field Painting emerged as two distinct approaches within Abstract Expressionism. These styles focused on the physical act of painting and the emotional power of color, respectively, reshaping the art world and influencing generations of artists to come.

Action Painting

Characteristics of Action Painting

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• Emphasizes the physical act of painting involves spontaneous, energetic brushwork and gestural, expressive marks
• Employs unconventional techniques such as dripping and splattering paint onto the canvas, pouring and flicking paint, and using sticks, trowels, and other tools instead of traditional brushes
• Embraces chance and accident in the creative process by allowing paint to drip and flow freely and incorporating unintentional marks and splatters
• Utilizes large-scale canvases encourages physical engagement with the painting surface and allows for expansive, immersive compositions

Major Abstract Expressionist artists

• Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) pioneered the drip painting technique and created famous works such as "Number 1 (Lavender Mist)" (1950) and "Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)" (1950)
• Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) known for his energetic, gestural brushwork in notable works like "Woman I" (1950-1952) and "Excavation" (1950)

Color Field Painting

Techniques in Color Field painting

• Uses large, monumental canvases that engulf the viewer's field of vision and create immersive, meditative experiences
• Features expansive fields of color with flat, uniform application of paint and minimal variation in texture or brushwork
• Emphasizes the emotional and psychological impact of color by evoking specific moods and feelings through color relationships and exploring the interplay of adjacent colors
• Reduces form and eliminates figurative elements to focus on the pure, abstract qualities of color and shape and encourage contemplation and introspection

Major Abstract Expressionist artists

• Mark Rothko (1903-1970) known for his large, rectangular canvases with soft-edged, rectangular forms in famous works such as "No. 61 (Rust and Blue)" (1953) and the Seagram Murals (1958-1959)

Impact of Abstract Expressionism

• Shifted the center of the art world from Paris to New York due to post-World War II cultural and economic factors and the influx of European artists to the United States
• Gained international recognition and influence through exhibitions and critical acclaim in Europe and beyond, inspiring subsequent generations of artists
• Emphasized individual expression and innovation by rejecting traditional artistic conventions and celebrating the artist's subjective experience and creative process
• Contributed to the development of modern and contemporary art by paving the way for future abstract and non-representational art movements and challenging established notions of what constitutes art