What Is Abstract Expressionism?

Have you ever looked at an abstract artwork, like one of the paintings shown here, and wondered, “Why is this special?” The paintings on these pages are part of an art movement called Abstract Expressionism, which emerged in the 1940s in New York City. Abstract Expressionists were more interested in process—how a work is made—than in representing something recognizable.

Abstract Expressionist art can look messy and be hard to appreciate. But instead of asking yourself what a work means, consider how the artist made it. You might even think about which verbs you could use to describe the way an artist composed a painting: drip, pour, splash, brush, sweep, glide, layer, splatter, and more! Thinking about the artist's process will help you understand these works. Keep reading to learn more.

Look at the paintings shown here. Do they show subjects you recognize? Can you tell what the artists are trying to say? If you answered “no,” you’re not alone.

These paintings are abstract. They don’t show people, places, or things. They are part of an art movement called Abstract Expressionism. It started in the 1940s in New York City.

Abstract Expressionist art can look messy. Think about how the artists worked. Did they drip, splash, or sweep paint onto the canvas? What tools did they use? The artist’s process is key to understanding these works.

Where does your eye go when you look at the work by Janet Sobel above? Does your gaze gravitate toward one spot, or move all over?

Sobel and many other Abstract Expressionists created allover paintings— paintings without a focal point. Sobel pioneered the drip painting method that Jackson Pollock would become famous for several years later. To make her 1945 Milky Way, above, Sobel dripped paint all over the canvas and blew on the wet paint to create swirling abstract forms.

Where does your eye go when you look at the painting above? Do you focus on one spot or look all over?

Janet Sobel’s 1945 Milky Way doesn’t have a focal point. Sobel guides the viewer’s eye all over the work. Many Abstract Expressionists made allover paintings.

Sobel invented the drip painting method. She dripped paint onto the canvas. Then she blew on the wet paint to create swirling abstract shapes.

Abstract Expressionist works don’t usually represent recognizable subjects. Instead, colors and marks on the canvas evoke strong emotional reactions in viewers. For example, to create his 1951 No. 7, shown above, Mark Rothko used a warm palette. When viewers stand in front of the composition, the geometric planes seem to engulf them, pulling them toward the painting.

Abstract Expressionist art doesn’t usually show recognizable scenes. Instead, artists explore colors and shapes. To paint his 1951 No. 7, above, Mark Rothko used warm colors, like orange and yellow. The colorful geometric shapes seem to pull viewers toward the painting.

In 1950, photographer Hans Namuth took more than 500 photos of Jackson Pollock, recording his movements as he painted. Namuth’s photographs, such as the one shown above, helped the public understand action painting. The photos make it clear that the finished artwork is a visual record of the artist’s process. Pollock popularized the drip painting technique innovated by Sobel. He splashed paint onto a canvas on his studio floor, creating the appearance of chaotic mark making.

Jackson Pollock is famous for splashing paint onto his canvases. In 1950, Hans Namuth took more than 500 photographs of Pollock working. The photos, like the one above, captured Pollock’s movements. Namuth’s photos helped people understand Pollock’s process, called action painting. The photos also showed how important the artist’s process is in Abstract Expressionism.

Many Abstract Expressionists worked on a large scale. Clyfford Still’s PH-4, 1952, shown above, is nearly 10 feet tall and more than 7 feet wide. Imagine how it would feel to stand in front of this towering painting. How would the size, the warm colors, and the texture affect your mood?

Many Abstract Expressionists made large-scale works. Above is Clyfford Still’s painting PH-4, 1952. It’s almost 10 feet tall and more than 7 feet wide. Imagine standing in front of it. What would the size make you feel?