The Abstract Expressionism Movement And Contemporary Art

Table of Contents

An overview was given of

the main points discussed.

In the beginning

Romanticism

Art created by spontaneous, gestural brushwork on canvas.

Field of color

Helen Frankenthaler

Modern artwork

Heather Day

A depiction of a natural setting

In summary,

A synopsis of the text is that it describes the process of making a cake, from gathering ingredients to baking it in the oven.

This report provides a quick overview of the factors that have shaped contemporary art. The abstract expressionism movement is something I am interested in. What are the main attributes? How do they relate to my thinking process as a creator of work?

IntroductionThe world of art is always changing. It’s constantly adapting how we see it. It allows us all to be creative and explore new ideas. We have always been curious about the limitations of our ability to create art since cave paintings. What is the evolution of contemporary art? How did different perspectives and characteristics in the art world change? This report examines the history of the art industry, including how movements have evolved and shaped the perceptions we have today. This report will not only give an overview of some painterly movements but also provide detailed analysis of particular artists and artworks that have had a major impact on my art practice. It will also examine the relationship between abstract expressionism and my current studio practices. The report will also examine the influence of landscape and surrounding environments on my work. This report will explore the importance of texture and line color in the creation of work. The most important sources for this report have been books, gallerys, the internet with my own personal experiences with experimentation.RomanticismTo appreciate why some of the thought process of abstract expressionism came around you would need to understand the beginning of rebelling against some of the traditional artistic “rules”. Artists started to express their thoughts through art experimentation only after human philosophy was developed in literature during romanticism. The development of art perception was markedly influenced by romanticism. In the early 1800s, literary critics started romanticism. The movement grew into an art movement that flourished up to the mid-19th century. Romanticism is defined by its belief in intuition over deduction. The beliefs of human psychology and evolution have overpowered spirituality. This leads to Romanticism’s ability to express emotions, appreciate nature and landscapes, as well as its importance to imagination. Caspar Daniel Friedrich’s “Monk by the Sea”, 1809, is an early example. Here this somber image has been reduced to land/sea. Friedrichs imagination can be seen in Friedrich’s lonely gaze as he imagines the infiniteness of the universe. When thinking back to romanticism’s characteristics, Friedrichs painting style and colour palette are worth considering. The close brushstrokes in deep colors complementary to blue and green suggest mystery and depth. The visible brushstrokes are also interesting, as they suggest imagination and energy. I discovered that abstract expressionism adopted a minimal approach to painting, focusing on colour, composition and characteristics. There have been many significant movements in the history of art, such as “impressionism” (1865-1885) and “Cubism (1907-1914). These are easily understood due to the changes in the world and the expansion of our knowledge. It is worth noting romanticism as an example of the beginnings for a paradigm shift in art thought that led us to where we now stand. Romanticism was heavily influenced and influenced by aesthetics, emotion, and natural phenomena. This led us to see art in a new way. To return to Romanticism, abstract expressionism paintings didn’t attempt to depict things that exist in the world. With a greater understanding of the origins of different thought processes and techniques, I can understand why I make work the way that I do.

There are two types.

Action PaintingAction Paintings allowed artists to make the physical aspect of the work the main feature of their painting. This type is easy to identify because of the spontaneous pouring and gestural techniques. Jackson Pollock, 1950’s “Autumn Rhythm Number 30”, is an example. This piece shows the woven painting splattered with different colours. This painting by Pollock, as well as his entire career, shows that he used a lot more household paint. This can add a lot to the panting’s texture, such as cracking or depth. Enamel paint is a versatile and affordable option that I have used in my own practice.

Field of colorField painting had a tendency to be calmer with more softly poured colours. Mark Rothko provides a great example of how abstract expressionism developed from ideas of the 18th-19th century, when romanticism was prevalent. Rothko’s 1953 painting “Purple, White and Red” is similar to Friedrich’s 1809 painting “Monk by the Sea,1809”. Both have similar abstraction attributes. Rothko’s painting features three panels that are simplified and filled with dusky, mysterious colours. Rothko was never a part of abstract expressionism, but he certainly embodies the characteristics that led to an art era driven by mystery, emotion and experimentation. Morris Louis’s version of the colour-field technique deserves to be considered. His vibrant rainbow colours from “Alpha-Phi”, 1960 are poured onto a canvas. The negative space, which is as important as any subject matter, shows that the technique can be risky but it also showcases artist courage.

Helen FrankenthalerFrankenthaler was an important factor to the abstract expressionism movement as she followed Pollock’s method of creation on the floor.

Frankenthaler, 1985. “Working directly on the ground allows for greater intimacy and control over the canvas.” This is something I can see in my own work. I have more control over my painting because I am able to see the whole picture from the birds eye. This allows me more freedom to use my body to make marks than my hand. Frankenthaler is an advocate of abstract expressionism. She believes that abstract painting can be achieved through intuitive feeling. Her work’s forms, space, colour and shapes suggest abstract landscapes. Frankenthaler creates work subconsciously referencing a specific landscape, feeling or being within that landscape.

“Most of the paintings I make are landscapes or views. I like to change view’s and motion captured. It gives me ideas.

Frankenthaler was always interested in colour. Many complementary hazy pastel colours were used, sometimes paired with bold contrasting colors. Frankenthaler admits that it is difficult to find the right balance between these factors.

This is because abstract expressionism is a gestural mark-making process. You must be able to accept mistakes that can give your work an accidently delirtal quality. As I learn the importance of space and line in my work, this is something that I have learned to accept.

Frankenthaler’s 1972 piece, “Nature Abhors a Vacuum”, has a lot of spirit thanks to its warm color palette. This piece shows Frankenthaler’s soak staining technique, which involves large areas of soaking in bold colours. Although the landscape shapes appear to be hills in this piece, it’s not obvious how she chose the colours. This is how I relate to my studio practice. It gives the impression of recreating the emotional connection you feel when you see a landscape, and it’s something that I want to portray in painting.

Heather Day Contemporary PaintingsHeather Day is a successful artist in her practice. She has an instagram following that is very active. This contemporary approach to art is something I will be considering for my own practice. Instagram is the fastest way to build a following.

Day’s artwork reflects many of Frankenthaler’s processes and methods within abstract expressionism. She focuses her inspiration on landscape. Day starts her work outside and captures the sense of being in the natural world. She then sketches out some ideas about texture, emotions and the moods of the landscape. I am interested in this technique as it gives me an idea of the landscape and allows me to respond to it when I paint larger works. Day uses some techniques of abstract expressionism, particularly Frankenthaler’s soak staining. “Deference #2”, a 2019 example of effective layering to express landscape energy. Day uses blues to represent sky or sea in the abstract. Grays and orange are meant to indicate brick or stone. This simple symbolization of landscape is effective because you can see the natural world within the abstraction.

LandscapeLandscape painting was traditionally used to represent the composition, such as James Morrison’s Berg paintings. His oil-on-board paintings have a lot texture. However, he dilutes the oil to a thinner consistency. His use of cold colors is an indication of the bitter Arctic weather. It is a good way to add depth to the oil and layer up. Painting scenery is a way to express emotion. Artists also use colour lines and texture as a symbol of landscape. Landscape is a primary motive in my practice. It is possible to recreate the same smell, motion, sight, emotion using different techniques, speed, calmness, colours, and other colors. This is personal for me because I feel most grounded when I am out in the natural world.

ConclusionsI believe that the balance of vibrant colour and careful restraints is a way to allow your work to evolve. You can choose complementary colours but also contrasting colours in order to express a feeling, moment or idea. But you must consider the aesthetics of the painting. Heather Day (2018) says, “If art rules don’t apply to you, where are you?” These theoretical questions conclude this report. Heather Day (2018) believes that the idea of “breaking rules in art” has been around since romanticism, abstract expression, as well as our current time in contemporaneous art.