The social and political landscape of the world underwent drastic changes following the Second World War. There was a widespread sense of hopelessness and devastation following the tragedy of the war. Abstract Expressionism was a mid-century art movement that partially emerged as a response to the Second World War and its psychological effects on people and societies collectively. Post war abstract art became particularly popular in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s, and it is still sought after today—many galleries have postwar and contemporary art for sale.
Historical and social context:
Most European cities had been left in ruins after the war. Physically, the United States managed to escape unscathed. However, the collective psychological trauma of the war was felt by citizens all over the world. Many artists felt that the popular art styles before the war could not accurately represent the carnage, chaos, and turmoil that now prevailed. There was also a great sense of anti-establishment, so many artists wanted to move away from the typical styles and scenes representative of the status quo.
Emphasis was placed on the subconscious, transcendentalism, and spontaneity in favor of conventional thought, which said art should imitate the real world. Pre-war, Paris had been the center of the art world. However, post-war Paris was not in the same condition it had been, so attention switched to New York as the center for art, which is considered the birthplace of abstract expressionism.
Key Characteristics of Abstract Expressionism
Artists during this period chose to move away from representing objects and focused rather on form, flow, and color. Abstract expressionism was inspired by surrealism and the exploration of the subconscious. The two major subsets of abstract expressionism and post-war abstract art were color field painting and action painting.
Color field painting:
This style, synonymous with abstract expressionism, refers to using large areas of single-color blocks which are also known as color-fields. The large spaces covered with color invite deep thought and allow for an emotional response. Color field paintings featured no symbols or illustrations. A popular technique in this style of post-war abstract art was diluting paint and pouring it directly onto canvas, allowing it to soak in. Artists could create unique layers and allow the paint to flow and merge in a way that had not been seen before.
Action painting:
This style represents freedom, spontaneity, and impulsivity. Canvas would be placed on the floor (typically), and the artists would fling, drip, splash, or smear their paint onto it. Artists would explore their subconscious emotions through the colors and actions employed in creating their artworks. Objects other than paintbrushes were often used to apply the paint to the canvas. This style captured emotion and energy in the resulting compositions. Artists wanted the viewer to be personally and emotionally moved by their paintings by capturing real actions of the time.
Influential Abstract Expressionist Artists
Jackson Pollock is one of the most influential and well-known abstract expressionist artists. He is credited as being one of the first artists to promote action painting. His work is profoundly emotive and captures the energy and spontaneity of the action painting process.
Helen Frankenthaler was a prominent color field painter. She was well known for her soaking technique, which involved diluting her oil (and later acrylic) paints with turpentine and allowing them to soak into and stain unprimed canvas.
Mark Rothko was another artist famous for using the color field technique. His iconic works feature two or three colors painted in large rectangular shapes. He sincerely believed that art was to be an expression of emotion.
The legacy of abstract expressionism
Pop art and minimalism eventually replaced abstract expressionism as the prevalent art styles, but it paved the way for abstract artists and continues to do so. The works of artists from this period are still widely celebrated and famous. In recent years, attention has been given to female abstract expressionists whose work was often overlooked in favor of their male peers. Helen Frankenthler and Lee Krasner are chief among these names thanks to their unique takes on the abstract expressionist movement. More contemporary art lovers celebrate these artists and continue to look for artworks by them.
For More Articles Visit: https://guest-post.org/