Greetings and salutations, deviants! Today, I bring to you the third edition of the monthly Art History Spotlight series!

As you know from our last edition, Surrealism, The Art History Spotlight Series will be exploring various movements in art, the technique used therein, major artists behind it and it's influence on dA!

The third edition focuses on Abstract, which I chose because it seemed like a logical followup to Surrealism.


So with no further ado, I present to you...

Abstract

[ab-strakt, ab-strakt]
as defined by dictionary.com

a: of or pertaining to the formal aspect of art, emphasizing lines, colors, generalized or geometrical forms, etc., esp. with reference to their relationship to one another.
b: (often initial capital letter) pertaining to the nonrepresentational art styles of the 20th century.

Abstract can be portrayed in many ways, not just by the definition above, however today we will be breaking Abstract in two parts.

Abstract expressionism
Lyrical Abstraction

Origins

Covering the large umbrella of Abstract Art is quite a wild undertaking, which was something I didn't realize until I started this project. It's the sum of many movements combined. Abstraction was inspired by many great movements such as Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, Fauvism, Surrealism and Cubism, to list a few. These raw and colorful movements are all responsible for the birth of an amazing style.

A prominent trait of Abstraction was that it was the first movement to place American Art on the map. After the devastation of World War II, Paris was no longer the home of art. Abstraction
found it's home in New York, where much of the avant-garde population fled.


^{Wasily Kandinsky has said that Composition VIII was the most complex piece he had ever done.}

Abstract Expressionism was greatly inspired by the spontaneity of surrealism, the high energy of futurism, and the emotional intensity of expressionism, to name a few. Some (note there's a very large list) notable artists of this style were Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, and Hans Hoffman.

Abstract expressionism is very hard to peg visually, as it can range from violent figurative paintings of Kooning to the splashes of paint across the canvas, a la Pollock. Focus on the random composition and random medium--splash, drip, and texturize.

^{Willem de Kooning's Woman, and Mark Rothko's Magenta, Black, Green on Yellow}


Lyrical abstraction had a place in both Europe and America, however, New York's hand in this movement stirred the artistic waters tremendously. It is said that Lyrical Abstraction was one of the first to fully include the doctrine of Wasily Kandinsky, a huge pioneer of abstraction. Notable lyrical abstractionists include Adolph Gottlieb, Arshile Gorky, Georges Mathieu, and Ronnie Landfield.

Whereas Abstract Expressionism centered more on randomness and spontaneity, Lyrical Abstraction had a more spiritual focus. Taking a step away from the stark geometric shapes and hard-edge paintings, this style was used to convey ideas and emotions. Free, fluid
brushstrokes, repetition, and low-key compositions.

^{Ronnie Landfield's Deluge, and Adolph Gottlieb's Rolling}

Other Abstract Techniques, Styles and Movements.

• Action Painting; or gestural abstraction. Spontaneous and almost reckless application of paint via smearing, dripping, splashing, etc.


• Hard edge painting; rough, straight edges of color. Arrangement and neatness of surface are key.


• Color Field painting; canvas covered with large patches of solid colors.


• Geometric Abstraction; non-objectional art centering on geometric shapes and patterns, See: Piet Mondrian & neoplasticism, Kazimir Malevich.


• Abstract Illusionism; the creation of depth with shadow and artificial light sources. 3D painting on a 2D canvas. See: Ronald Davis, Jack Lembeck, and George D. Green.

Abstraction from the Masters

<sup>Kenneth Noland, Bridge

Jack Lembeck, Eagle Valley Music

Piet Mondrian, Composition with Red, Yellow, Blue, and Black.

Georges Mathieu, Tempêtes inconnues</sup>

Abstraction on dA

The expressive and brooding works of *bmessina


The delightfully circular works of ~camartin


The colorfully loping works of *flesh-was-sweet


And many more:






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