American Expressionism Movement Analysis

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In the words of Henry Rosenberg, “At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act. What was to go on the canvas was not a picture but an event, (SOURCE)” which illuminates the definition of American Expressionism. An artistic movement that highlighted the unconscious self expression of the artist at the time, rather than the dynamic and realistic form of the event itself. The movement peaked in New York, being apart of the avant-garde, and continued to spread.
The impact of World War II created the unconscious self expression between action painting and color field painting, the movement to other American artists and European immigrants, and it’s vast array of international
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If the viewer looks beyond the massive canvas filled with a vast array of colors and abstract forms, and searches deeper within the piece, they will experience what the Abstract Expressionism movement was all about. They will participate in the post-war mood of anxiety and trauma through the vigorous and angry gestural strokes, chaotic composition, and the massive size of the piece engulfing them completely. Abstract Expressionism emerged as a new form of self-expression mainly in New York, the center of the art world, and was welcomed as the first authentic avant-garde. At the time of its popularity, European artists, poets, and writers fled Europe to escape the political upheaval that was occurring. America became a new safe haven with many new artistic influences, helping the Abstract Expressionism craze spread even more. The movement was divided into two categories: Action Painting and Color Fielding Painting. Action painting – which came first – was characteristically known through its violent appearance. The method of splattering, dripping, pouring, and other techniques helped perceive this aggressive personality. Color Field painting generally had more saturated color, a harmonious vibe, and often created a sense of spiritual quality. Both modes of art sporadically arranged space, line shape, and …show more content…
However each and every artist had an array of critics Life Magazine once wrote an article about Jackson Pollock questioning him to be a great artist, “Could a painter who flung paint at canvases with a stick, who poured and hurled it to create roiling vortexes of color and line, possibly be considered ‘great’? (SOURCE).” Pollock who struggled with alcoholism, was influenced by Surrealism and Cubism to create the unconscious outpourings of his mind. He was known for demonstrating his self-expression through “a series of ‘explosions’ (SOURCE).” Famously known for using the “drip” method within his pieces, he created one of his most famous pieces of work Autumn Rhythm: Number 30 (1950). A massive horizontal piece of diluted blacks, whites, and brown tones, a mixture of thick and thin, curved and straight, and vertical and horizontal lines creating a sense of ground and space aesthetically referring to nature itself. In Anna Chave’s, Pollock and Krasner, she discusses how critics refer to Pollock’s work as “all-over painting,” and where Willem de Kooning mentions, “Every so often a painter has to destroy painting. Cèzanne did it. Picasso did it with Cubism. Then Pollock did it. He busted our idea of a picture all

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