5.15 Quiz: Abstract Expressionism Art Movement

What influenced the artists associated with Abstract Expressionism?

What did the Abstract Expressionists aim to bring into their art?

Where did most Abstract Expressionist artists live during this period?

What was the focus of the art world shifted to after World War II?

What did many European artists do during and after World War II?

Who was part of the New York school group with Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline?

What was Helen Frankenthaler well-known for?

Which artist's work was considered controversial due to the portrayal of female figures?

In what year did Helen Frankenthaler start her innovative soak and stain method of painting?

'Mountains and Sea' was the first large-scale painting by Helen Frankenthaler using which technique?

Who defined Abstract Expressionism by its loose, rapid handling and masses that blotted and fused on the canvas?

Which artist aimed to create non-representational impact and be part of the ritual of painting?

Who was inspired by Mexican muralists and European modernism?

Which artist became part of the modernist set of artists in New York and worked for the Works Progress Administration?

Abstract Expressionism and its Key Artists

Abstract Expressionism, also known as action painting, involved working on enormous canvases not attached to an easel.
In 1962, Clement Greenberg defined Abstract Expressionism by its loose, rapid handling and masses that blotted and fused on the canvas.
Action painting focused on the destruction of the figure, with the image being secondary, and encompassed a variety of application methods, such as dripping and pouring paint.
Abstract Expressionism supported non-representational art, mingled colors, and shapes formed through emotion.
Jackson Pollock, a key figure in Abstract Expressionism, was inspired by Mexican muralists and European modernism.
Pollock revolutionized art by laying canvases on the floor and dripping and splattering paint around all sides of the canvas.
He aimed to create non-representational impact and be part of the ritual of painting.
Pollock's emergence as a significant artist was solidified when art critic Clement Greenberg declared him the mastermind of the new American art.
Pollock's synthesis of mythology and ceremonial practices is reflected in his painting "Guardians of the Secret."
"The Key," part of Pollock's "Accabonac Creek" series, maintained his interest in spontaneous, unplanned painting.
"One: Number 31" is considered Pollock's masterpiece based on the innovative drip technique, with somber colors on an off-white background.
Willem de Kooning, another influential Abstract Expressionist, became part of the modernist set of artists in New York and worked for the Works Progress Administration.

Test your knowledge of the Abstract Expressionism art movement, which emerged in New York City during the late 1940s. Learn about the radical new directions in art, the influence of earlier movements, and the concepts of spontaneity and improvisation.