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Wilma Brooks
Vicki Bean
AR 112
26 November 2012
Postwar Modern Movement in the West
The Postwar Modern Movements in the West began in the United States in the 1940’s, shortly after World War II. In 1945, with Europe in ruins, millions of people dead, and others suffering from famine and Nazi oppression, many leading artist fled Europe for the United States. and settled in New York in 1945 (ArtForms 397). Devastated and scarred by the aftermath of war the artists settled in New York and joined “The New York School” and became a huge influence to other artist’s in a new art movement called Abstract Expressionism (“ArtForms 397”). There was no certain rules or characterisitics in Abstract Expressionism however, the artist’s shared an interest in painting as a way to express their subconscious. Abstract Expressionism was a movement strongly influenced by Surrealism which was started by Andre Breton in 1924. Andre Breton (1896-1966), was originally a Dadaist, which was a group of artist that painted silly, distorted, non conformed paintings to depict their rage and rebellion against the war. In 1924, Breton founded the Surrealism Art Movement, which were artist’s who based their art on feelings, dreams and memories. In his online article “In Search for Nothingness”, Charles Moffat tells us that the Abstract Expressionist’s like the Surrealist wanted to express their subconscious mind with their art.
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Some of the most important figures in Abstract Expressionism was Mark Rothko, and William De Kooning however, the most powerful influence was Jackson Pollock. According to Patrick Frank, in the late 1940’s Jackson Pollock introduced a new technique called action painting (ArtForms 397). In 1950 he created a large drip painting called, Autumn Rhythm. The painting was an oil on canvas painting and was 105”x 207” in size. (ArtForms 397). Pollock was given the nick-name “Jack the Dripper” because of the way he would place his canvas on the floor, and begin dripping, pouring, and slinging paint with rhythmical, dancing movements. It was his way to express his deepest personal feelings. Thinking about all the pain and turmoil that Pollock witnessed through the war, and the uncontrollable anger, and rage of alcoholism he suffered, I think he did well to express his deep, personal feelings without any words.
Another syle of the Abstract Expressionism is the color field technique, developed by Mark Rothko. Rothko was influenced by Surrealism at first but according to Michael Brents online article, Rothko’s developed his own style of art that consisted of large rectangles of different bright colors that would blend into each other (“The Characteristics of Abstract Expressionism Art”). In 1961 Rothko painted Blue, Orange, Red. He used bright vivid colors to convey emotions.
Helen Frankenthaler is another Abstract Expressionist’s artist. In 1952 she introduced a staining technique where she spread liquid colors horizontally across unprimed canvas. As the paints began to soak into the canvas she would gently rub the paints into different organic shapes. In 1952 she created a stained the painting Mountains
Brooks 3 and Sea. It is an oil and charcoal on canvas and is 86 5/8” X 117 ¼” in size (ArtForms 397). Frankenthaler combined the poured paint technique with the color field technique to create, bright, pale, delicate colors (ArtForms 397).
Willem De Kooning (1904-1997) came to New York in 1926 where he painted numerous murals for the Federal Arts Project. (“Willem De Kooning biography”). According to an online article, (“Willem De Kooning”) he was influenced by Cubism and Surrealism and I believe it’s very clear that he combined the two styles when he painted Woman and Bicycle. The painting is an oil on canvas and is 78 ¼” x 50 5/8” x 2” in size (ArtForms 399). It depicts a distorted female but has lots of energy and colors of abstract expressionism.
David Smith (1906-1965) was also an Abstract Expressionist who was best known for creating large geometric sculptors. In 1963 Smith created the Cubi XVII. It was made of Polished stainless steel, and was 107 ¾” x 64 3/8” x 38 1/8” in size (ArtForms 400). This series was made with a hand brushed finish resembling techniques of the gestural strokes used in Abstract Expressionism (ArtForms 400).
The post-war modernist era also influenced architecture. Most architectures used International style which were simple designs and non decorative. After 1960 moderism gave way to a new variety in designs, shapes, and colors. Patrick Frank, tells us that by late 1950’s and early 1960’s a group of artist called Minimalist set out to create an art without subject matter, symbols, or personal content using materials such as, sheet metal,
Brooks 4 plexiglas, aluminum, and molded plastics (ArtForms 411). In the 1960s and 1970s the Conceptual Art Movement began. This movement was about art being about an idea (ArtForms 413).Finally, this era ended with Performance Art, where the artists don’t create, but instead they perform as an art.

Post-war Modern Movements in the West

Wilma Brooks

Perspectives on Art
AR 112
Vicki Bean
December 3, 2012