Abstract Expressionism

Nneka Okoli

Nicole Coleman

Damola Adebiyi

What is Abstract Expressionism?

An artistic movement of the mid-20th century comprising diverse styles and techniques and emphasizing especially an artist’s liberty to convey attitudes and emotions through nontraditional and usually nonrepresentational means

-Webster’s Dictionary

IMPORTANT FACT!

Abstract Expressionism is the art movement that put New York on the map in the art world.

Before this movement, American art was not a contender in the art world.

Types of Abstract Expressionism

ACTION PAINTING

-Quick brush strokes - “Splat” paint look- Very Popular

- Evolved from Surrealism (Bulletism)

COLOR FIELD- Focus on large area of

color- Played with 2-D feeling

of depth- Evolved from Analytical

Cubism

Jackson Pollock

Robert Motherwell

Action Painters

Father of Abstract Expressionism

Jackson Pollock- An action painter- Painted on large

canvases - Preferred to paint on

the ground

Jackson Pollock

Nickname was “Jack the Dripper” Introduced to art by his brother

Charles Pollock Studied on New York under Thomas

Hart Benton Majorly influenced by Jose Clemente

Orozco, and David Alfaro Siquieros

Jackson Pollock

No. 28, 1950

-You can see how the paint is splattered or dripped onto the canvas

-Very spontaneous

No. 5, 1948

By Jackson Pollock Sold for $140 million Great example of

Abstract Expressionism,

Spontaneous Splattered

Robert Motherwell

Action Painter and Print maker Toured the country giving speeches about

Abstract Expressionism Felt Abstract Expressionism was the process

of peeling away the inessential and presenting the necessary

Robert Motherwell

Diluted his paint with turpentine to create a shadow effect

Used dramatic and bright brush strokes Early works were characterized by abstract

linear and geometric lines

Robert Motherwell

Wrote informative essays on abstract expressionism that did not contain criticism on the art, allowing people to learn about the movement

Awarded National Medal of Arts in 1989

Lyric Suite

Motherwell wanted to paint one thousand sheets without interruption

Beside the Sea

Hans Hoffman

Richard Diebenkorn

Color Field Painters

Hans Hoffman

Color Field Painter Influenced by Lee Krasner, Clement

Greenberg, Helen Frankenthaler, and Larry Rivers

He taught at University of California, Berkeley and a semester at Chouinard Art Institute.

Hoffman also open Schools in New York and Provincetown

Hans Hofmann

“The Gate” 1960 Oil on Canvas

Hans Hofmann

“Self Portrait”

Oil Paintings on Canvas

Hans Hofmann

Push-pull Theory: Describes The plasticity of the three dimensionality translated to two-dimensionality. Shapes,colors,lines,calligraphic squiggles, and use of space always echo the reality found in nature, but its structure rather than its appearance

Richard Diebenkorn

Color Field Painter Influenced by Matisse, Cezanne, and

Picasso Graduated from Stanford University Was a professor at University of Illinois,

California School of Fine Arts (now know as San Francisco Art Institute), and UCLA

Richard Diebenkorn

Berkley no. 57

-One of his early paintings

-Plays with large pallets of Color and using them to create Depth

Richard Diebehkorn

Cityscape no. 1

*Diebehkorn is know for his landscapes

In Summary

ACTION PAINTINGJackson PollockRobert Motherwell- “splatered” paint

COLOR FIELDHans HoffmanRichard Diebenkorn-Use of large amounts of

color to create depth

*Jackson Pollock is the “Father” of Abstract Expressionism*Abstract Expressionism is the first art movement in America

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert-Motherwellhttp://www.lucidcafe.com//library/96jan/motherwell.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-motherwell/about-robert-motherwell/665/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/search.html?content_type=article&q=robert+motherwell&search=Search

http://www.hollistaggart.com/artists/biography/robert_motherwell/http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/abstractexpressionism/

http://www.jackson-pollock.com/biography.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/abstract_expressionism.htmlhttp://diebenkorn.org/bio/bio.htmlhttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abstract%2Bexpressionismhttp://www.pbs.org/hanshofmann/for_teachers_lesson_1_001.htmlhttp://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/76244http://www.hanshofmann.org/biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/willem_de_kooings http://www.hanshofmann.net/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HansHofmann