What is Abstract Expressionism, from an Artist Perspective

 

It says online that the Abstract Expressionism movement was a post World War II movement that started in New York City in the early 1940's. It continued through the 50's as people like Jackson Pollock sprung up and started showing his work. It goes into different areas including Color Field which Rothko was known for.

They think it was inspired from Cubism, and Surrealism. People wanted to give emotion and life to Art since life felt like it was starting again after the war, is my guess. To see something like that happen though, so emotionally is shocking to me. The 50's was a strict time, where everyone was on their best behavior, and wore dresses to grocery stores, and manners was popular, civility. So to me, the fact that this movement got started at all was amazing.

Christies says it is a "rejection of traditional artisitic standards". The term ‘Abstract Expressionism’ was invented by Robert Coates, art critic for The New Yorker. Speaking of New York, the movement pushed it into the scene as the global arts location.

Art has always been the one place people break rules, and it is allowed by society to do so. To me, life should be like that anyway. Not in a bad way, like crime and murder, but people should be allowed to express their authenticity through art and other mediums in a positive way.

I looked up several artists to see which ones I did like at the time, and I picked out a few paintings from each one, scroll to the bottom of this post to see them.

Colors that I noticed I was drawn to, are colors I use myself one way or the other. I love dark blues, and purple, and colors that look bright and cohesive together. I kept running into paintings that looked murky and dark, and those were not for me. 

I loved this quote I saw in an article online

"Breaking away from accepted conventions in both technique and subject matter, the artists made monumentally scaled works that stood as reflections of their individual psyches-and in doing so, attempted to tap into universal inner sources. These artists valued spontaneity and improvisation"-metmuseum 

I love that quote, and I feel it captures the intensity and mood perfectly, of what Expressionism is about. I never knew I would have to sell myself as an Expressionist. I do some Abstract work, so both is done, but sometimes the natural side of me, leans towards a more free and liberated approach to painting. You have to own it  even though you want to hide. It is the weird truth for me and several Artists. You want to share your work, but you also want to hide under a bed, because it deeply exposes you. Most people look at art and think that it is just a bunch of lines or shapes. They don't understand that an Artist's soul literally is poured upon that canvas, and parts deep within themselves they can't utter with words, so they paint it instead. So if it gets insulted, you are insulting the Artists soul themselves.

Everyone has their own taste and that is just how it is. I have my own taste as well in Art and you can't help what you like and don't like, but just remember that if you don't like something, consider being quiet about it because that is a piece of someone's soul on the canvas, and they take it very personally. 

I have never understood the reason behind Art Critics. That is like having someone sit inside your heart and stop you from painting by saying: "No, you can't do that, it's ugly!". They want to stop people from being themselves and expressing who they are, because they are rigid in their thinking, and want everything to be perfect straight lines, and boring landscapes, and Plein Air. That is not all that Art is. We each have our own thing that chose us. Yes, you read it right. I feel like mine chose me and I just paint what comes out naturally. I did not really have a choice in the matter, I just go with the flow. 

Art is about embracing who you are, and Abstract & Expressionism gives Artists a chance to really let loose, and play around with colors and feelings.

Long Lines for Lee Krasner, 1970

Astral Nebula, 1961. Hans Hofman

Untitled, Willem de Kooning, 1976

Untitled circa 1988, Joan Mitchell