Do you know what Abstract Expressionism is?

Today, many artists are still inspired by the creative principles and techniques of the Abstract Expressionism art movement.

But what is Abstract Expressionism ?

After World War II in the United States, and especially in New York, the creative climate that emerged from the coexistence of artists, both local and expatriate, favored the development of new lines of expression.

The era was one of strong psychological, social and economic instability, however, art, as in many other historical occasions, was an effective means of interpreting reality.

Mark Rothko, Untitled (Orange, Plum, Yellow) , 1950, Museo Reina Sofía

The adoption of an abstract language by these artists was a natural consequence of the negative feelings that had remained in the community after the horrors of war.

In fact, figuration did not seem capable of expressing the turmoil of emotions of the artists, who therefore made abstract art the fruit of their dramatic and optimistic experiences at the same time.

The Abstract Expressionists retreated within, abandoning all references and giving absolute priority to gesture and physical action. Both were as much a production technique as a represented subject.

Willem de Kooning. Untitled (Woman in a Forest) , ca. 1963-64, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

5 facts you should know about Abstract Expressionism:

1. Its original name is Action Painting , a term coined by art critic Harold Rosemberg in a 1952 Art News article called “American Action Painters.”
2. It is considered the first fully American artistic movement and for this reason it received government support and CIA funding.
3. It is inspired by automatism, an artistic practice used by surrealists where the subconscious is allowed to flow, with the aim of externalizing the artist's most authentic and profound feelings .
4. The dripping technique It was invented by the expressionist artist Jackson Pollock and consists of letting paint drip, drip, splash or fall from a container onto the surface of the work.
5. Abstract expressionism inspired other artistic movements , such as minimalism and French tachism.

Jackson Pollock painting

Pioneering names in the movement include Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Mark Rothko, Joan Mitchell, James Brooks, among others.