22/3/2017 MoMA | Abstract Expressionism

GLOSSARYOFARTTERMS

Tools&Tips:
AbstractExpressionism AbstractExpressionism
AbstractExpressionistartistsreinventedabstractpaintingandothermediaforminga
distinctlyAmericanstyle.

AbstractExpressionismisatermappliedtoamovementinAmericanpaintingthat
The
flourishedinNewYorkCityafterWorldWarII,sometimesreferredtoastheNewYork
Processes
Schoolor,morenarrowly,as actionpainting .ThevariedworkproducedbytheAbstract
andMaterials
Expressionistsresistsdefinitionasacohesive style instead,theseartistssharedan
ofAbstract
interestinusingabstractiontoconveystrongemotionalor expressive content.These
Expressionist
Painting artistsmovedawayfromEuropeantraditionsofpaintingtocreateadistinctlyAmerican
Discoverthe kindofart,whichbothacknowledgedandchallengedthedominationofearly20th
innovative centurygiantssuchasHenriMatisse,PabloPicasso,andVasilyKandinsky.
tecniquesof
Abstract
AbstractExpressionismisbestknownforlargescalepaintingsthatbreakawayfrom
Expressionist
painters traditionalprocesses,oftentakingthe canvas offoftheeaselandusingunconventional
materialssuchashousepaint.WhileAbstractExpressionismisoftenconsideredforits
advancementsinpainting,itsideashaddeepresonanceinmanymedia,including
Abstract drawingandsculpture.
Expressionism:
ANewArtfor Americainthe1950s
aNewWorld
Aftertheatrocities AbstractExpressionismemergedinaclimateofColdWarpoliticsandsocialandcultural
ofWorldWarII, conservatism.WorldWarIIhadpositionedtheUnitedStatesasaglobalpower,andin
manyartistsfelt theyearsfollowingtheconflict,manyAmericansenjoyedthebenefitsofunprecedented
thattheworld economicgrowth.Butbythemid1950sthespiritofoptimismhadmorphedintoapotent
neededtobe
mixofpowerandparanoia.FueledbythefearofCommunistinfiltration,SenatorJoseph
reinvented
McCarthyofWisconsinunleashedaseriesofwitchhuntsagainstallegedCommunist
sympathizers.Anyhintofsubversioncouldmakeanindividualsuspect.Onescholar
TheSublime laterreflected:Itisironicbutnotcontradictorythatinasocietyinwhichpolitical
andthe repressionweighedasheavilyasitdidintheUnitedStates,abstractexpressionismwas
Spiritual formanytheexpressionoffreedom:thefreedomtocreativecontroversialworksofart,
Abstract thefreedomsymbolizedbyactionpainting,bytheunbridledexpressionismofartists
Expressionists completelywithoutfetters. 1
usedcolorand
scaletocreatea
senseof AbstractExpressionistArtistsinNewYorkCity
spiritualityandthe AbstractExpressionismmarkedthebeginningofNewYorkCitysinfluenceasthecenter
sublime
ofthewesternartworld.TheworldoftheAbstractExpressionistartistswasfirmly
rootedinLowerManhattan.Awalkalong8thStreetwouldtakeyoufromtheWaldorf
Cafeteria,wherepennilessartistsmadetomatosoupfromthefreehotwaterand
Abstract
Expressionist ketchuppasttheHansHofmannSchoolofFineartistsfoundedbythepainterofthe
Sculpture samenametoTheClub,aloftwherelecturesandheatedargumentsaboutartcarried
Explorehow onlateintothenight.JacksonPollocksstudiowasonEast8thStreet,Willemde
sculptorstookon KooningsandPhilipGustonswereonEast10th,andalthoughFranzKlinemoved
thechallengesof amongvarioushomesandstudiosinthearea,mostnightsfoundhimandmanyofhis
Abstract
contemporariesattheCedarStreetTavernonUniversityPlace.
Expressionism

AbstractExpressionismandJazz
Manyartistsareinfluencedbythemusicoftheirtime.Jazzwas
improvisationalandexpressive,andseveralAbstract
Expressionists,includingJacksonPollock,citelisteningtothe
musicwhilepainting.NormanLewisworkedinHarlem,a
predominantlyAfricanAmericanneighborhoodinNewYorkCity
knownforitsartistic,musical,andliteraryaccomplishments,andhe
oftendepictedHarlemjazzclubsinhisearlyfigurativeworks.His
laterabstractpaintingsseemtointegratethelyricismand
spontaneityofjazz.Comparinghistechniquewiththatofa
legendarytrumpeter,WillemdeKooningoncewrote:MilesDavis
bendsthenotes.Hedoesntplaythem,hebendsthem.Ibendthe
paint.

RelatedArtists:LouiseBourgeois,WillemdeKooning,HelenFrankenthaler,
AdolphGottlieb,FranzKline,LeeKrasner,NormanLewis,LouiseNevelson,
BarnettNewman,IsamuNoguchi,JacksonPollock,AdReinhardt,MarkRothko,
DavidSmith,ClyffordStill

Multimedia

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22/3/2017 MoMA | Abstract Expressionism

VIDEO:FromtheCurator:AnnTemkinontheexhibition
AbstractExpressionistNewYork(2010)

Questions&Activities

1. ArtistsandCommunity
Research.AbstractExpressionismdevelopedoutofacloseknitgroupofartistsin
downtownManhattan.ExploretheABEXNYmapandlistentoChiefCuratorof
PaintingandSculptureAnnTemkindiscussthecommunity.Considerthefollowing
questions:Whatwasthecommunitylike?Whatdidtheartistsshareincommon?How
didtheydiffer?

Compare.CollaborationwasalsocentraltoartisticmovementssuchasDada.Read
abouttheDadaistsinterestinartisticcollaborationandcomparetothatofthe
AbstractExpressionists.

Reflect.Summarizeyourfindingsinaoneortwoparagraphessay.

2. TheSoundofMovement
ManyAbstractExpressionistartists,includingJacksonPollock,WillemdeKooning,and
NormanLewis,wereinspiredbythejazzmusicoftheirtime.Pollock,forexample,would
oftenlistentojazzmusicwhilemakinghisgesturalpaintings.

Look.LookatJacksonPollocksOne:Number31,1950,WillemdeKooningsWoman,I,
andNormanLewisCityNight.Foreachpainting,useyourbodytomimicthe gestures
youthinktheartistmade.Paycloseattentiontothe lines andbrushwork.

Reflect.Ifyoucouldassignasoundtoeachoftheworks,whatwouldtheybe?Perform
orrecordthosesoundsusinganaudiorecorder.Compareandcontrastyoursoundswith
theimages,consideringhowthe composition ofeachworkrelatestotherecorded
audio.

RelatedThemes RelatedLinks FromMoMAStores

Surrealism WEBSITE:Explore Abstract

furtheronthe Expressionismat
PopArt Abstract TheMuseumof
ExpressionistNew ModernArt(2010)
Yorkwebsite exhibitioncatalogue
ArtisticCollaboration BUY>
AUDIO:Listento
theAbstract AbExartistquote
ExpressionistNew coasters
York(2010)audio BUY>
tourplaylist

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