Abstract Expressionism emerged in the United States after World War II and became widely recognized during the 1950s. This lesson introduces the movement's historical setting, its name, and the artists who helped establish it.
In the 1930s, American social realism was prominent. Its artists often addressed ordinary people, economic hardship, and social conditions shaped by the Great Depression. Mexican muralists, including Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, also influenced this socially engaged art.
All flashcards
When did Abstract Expressionism gain mainstream acceptance?
It gained mainstream acceptance in the 1950s, after emerging in the United States in the aftermath of World War II.
Who was Robert Coates in relation to the movement?
Robert Coates was an art critic who applied the term “abstract expressionism” to American art in 1946.
What was the New York School?
It was the central group and artistic scene associated with Abstract Expressionism in New York City. Its members shared a historical context but did not all paint in the same way.
How did 1930s social realism differ from Abstract Expressionism?
Social realism commonly depicted people and social conditions, often in response to the Great Depression. Abstract Expressionism generally emphasized abstraction and individual artistic expression.
Why did New York's role in the art world grow after World War II?
European upheaval brought artists and cultural figures to the United States, while New York's artists, galleries, critics, and collectors helped establish it as a major center of modern art.
Quiz questions
Who used the phrase “an arena in which to act” to describe the canvas in 1952?Answer: Harold Rosenberg
Which aspect of painting did Clement Greenberg emphasize?Answer: Its formal qualities and material surface
What did Abstract Expressionists adapt from Surrealism?Answer: Interest in chance, inner life, and spontaneous creation
How did Jackson Pollock commonly work on his large canvases?Answer: He placed unstretched canvas on the floor and moved around it.
How should claims about CIA support for promoting Abstract Expressionism be understood?Answer: They are part of a debated historical interpretation, not a settled explanation.