abstract expressionism

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abstract expressionism Mainly US art movement in which the creative process itself is examined and explored. It is neither wholly abstract nor wholly expressionist. The term originally applied to paintings created (1945–55) by about 15 artists from the New York School. Although very different in temperament and style, these individuals shared a fascination with surrealism and ‘psychic automatism’ as well as other progressive European styles. Towards the early 1950s, two distinct groups emerged with Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock heading the most aggressive trend (loosely known as action painting), which involved dripping or throwing paint on the canvas. Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt and Mark Rothko were more contemplative.

http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/movements_works_Abstract_Expressionism_0.html

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