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Abstract expressionism was seen as rebellious and idiosyncratic, encompassing various artistic styles. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York City at the center of the Western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris. Contemporary art critics played a significant role in its development. Critics like Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg promoted the work of artists associated with abstract expressionism, in particular Jackson Pollock, through their writing and collecting. Rosenberg's concept of the canvas as an "arena in which to act" was pivotal in defining the approach of action painters. The cultural reign of abstract expressionism in the United States had diminished by the early 1960s, while the subsequent rejection of the abstract expressionist emphasis on individualism led to the development of such movements as Pop art and Minimalism Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the influence of abstract expressionism can be seen in diverse movements in the U.S. and Europe, including Tachisme and Neo-expressionism, among others.
from Wikipedia
Why did these artists paint this way? The point of Abstract Expressionism, a post-World War II art movement, was to express emotions and the artist's inner self through non-objective, often large-scale, paintings, emphasizing action painting and color field painting, and rejecting traditional artistic standards.
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Jackson Pollock ( January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956) was an American painter. A major figure in the abstract expressionist movement, Pollock was widely noticed for his "drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface, enabling him to view and paint his canvases from all angles. It was called all-over painting and action painting, since he covered the entire canvas and used the force of his whole body to paint, often in a frenetic dancing style. This extreme form of abstraction divided critics: some praised the immediacy of the creation, while others derided the random effects.
A reclusive and volatile personality, Pollock struggled with alcoholism for most of his life. In 1945, he married the artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy. Pollock died at age 44 in an alcohol-related single-car collision when he was driving. In December 1956, four months after his death, Pollock was given a memorial retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. A larger, more comprehensive exhibition of his work was held there in 1967. In 1998 and 1999, his work was honored with large-scale retrospective exhibitions at MoMA and the Tate Gallery in London.
from Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock
Helen Frankenthaler (December 12, 1928 – December 27, 2011) was an American abstract expressionist painter. She was a major contributor to the history of postwar American painting. Having exhibited her work for over six decades (early 1950s until 2011), she spanned several generations of abstract painters while continuing to produce vital and ever-changing new work. Frankenthaler began exhibiting her large-scale abstract expressionist paintings in contemporary museums and galleries in the early 1950s. She was included in the 1964 Post-Painterly Abstraction exhibition curated by Clement Greenberg that introduced a newer generation of abstract painting that came to be known as color field. Born in Manhattan, she was influenced by Greenberg, Hans Hofmann, and Jackson Pollock's paintings. Her work has been the subject of several retrospective exhibitions, including a 1989 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and been exhibited worldwide since the 1950s. In 2001, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
from Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Frankenthaler
Other notable Abstract Expressionists include:
Mark Rothko: Known for his color field paintings and his use of large, rectangular blocks of color.
Franz Kline: Known for his black and white action painting.
Clyfford Still: Known for his large-scale, abstract paintings with strong vertical and horizontal lines.
Barnett Newman: Known for his color field paintings and his use of vertical lines.
Adolph Gottlieb: Known for his color field paintings and his use of abstract forms.
Robert Motherwell: Known for his action painting and his use of abstract forms.
Lee Krasner: Known for her action painting and her use of abstract forms.
Joan Mitchell: Known for her action painting and her use of abstract forms.
Arshile Gorky: Known for his action painting and his use of abstract forms.
Hans Hofmann: Known for his action painting and his use of abstract forms.
Assignment: Choose an Abstract Expressionist artist who you would like to emulate. On a piece of paper write down their name and explain why you chose them. Then go to the steps below.
Assignment: Choose an Abstract Expressionist artist who you would like to emulate. On a piece of paper write down their name and explain why you chose them. Then go to the steps below.
Do a little reading or find a video about them and their work. You'll want to find information about why they painted the way the did (the concept or meaning behind their art) and how they did their work (materials and techniques). When you've chosen your artist write their name down and why you chose them. Turn this in before getting started.
Organize the supplies you will need for your art. This includes preparing a surface to paint on if needed. Meet with the teacher for help if you need it.
Begin your painting! Remember that these artists used many layers of paint. They did not worry about making mistakes because they would either use them or paint over them. There were no mistakes, only "Happy Accidents".
After you get your first layer or two of paint is when you step back, look at the art, and apply theories of composition and color theory.
When your art is complete write a brief statement about how your work reflects the techniques and ideas of the artist you chose, and how you used color theory. You can hand write it on a piece of paper or type it, print it, and turn it in with your work.
Tips on how to write your statement:
You have to make sure you have read or watched a video about your artist!!! If you don't understand what they were doing and why then you will be confused and not be able to write. If you have read about them and still aren't sure then ask for help.
After you've read about your artist you should be ready to explain how your art reflects the techniques and ideas of the artist you chose. For example: if you chose Jackson Pollock you would write about how you used action painting like Pollock did. Then you could explain how your work was also trying to explore your emotions and inner self. Like what emotions were you trying to communicate, and how did it feel to paint that way. Why did you choose the colors that you did? How did you use color theory? Did you use contrasting light and dark or cool and warm colors.
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