Curriculum Materials: Art in America
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Image 25 Grace Hartigan Questions: |
Abstract Expressionism
Prior to World War II, Paris had long been the art center
of the world. During the war, however, many European artists
fled to the United States, especially to New York City. They
inspired American artists to explore new
STYLES. Drawing on the
emotive power of European
EXPRESSIONISM and
the poetic, psychological, and spontaneous aspects of
SURREALISM, American
artists developed abstract expressionism, a revolutionary
art style. Abstract expressionism is also called action
painting since the artists relied heavily on improvisation
and chance effects and placed great emphasis on process. In
paintings done in this style, all-over compositions,
accidental shapes, and dribbles and strokes of paint reveal
the creative process. Abstract expressionism became an
international phenomenon during the late 1940s.
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