Abstract Expressionism developed after the end of World War II. Due to the outrage, desperation of the post war along with alienation and loss of faith led artist to explore different kinds of art. Hence, abstract expressionism began in New York in the 1940's -1950's as a sign of rebellion. The two modes of this new form of art in the United States are Action Painting and Color Field Painting.

Action painters wanted to portray paint texture and the movement of the artist hand by dripping and splashing paint. Color Field Painting were mostly focused on the color and shape to create more peaceful and spiritual paintings which was a more mythic type of art.

Paul Jackson Pollock also known by only Jackson Pollock was considered an action painter. I chose Pollock because he was a major figure in the movement of Abstract Expressionism and the New York School among other colleagues. He wanted his painting to be portrayed for what they were and eventually started numbering his art pieces rather than naming them.

Willem De Kooning was also known to influence the New York School and was considered an action painter. I chose him mainly because his wife also became influenced by the arts and became an action painter herself. He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon
Johnson.

Mark Rothko was considered a Color Field Painter. I chose Rothko for this type of abstract expressionism since he was one of the artist in New York that was instructed by Arshile Gorky. Rothko was label as an abstract expressionism although he himself denied the label.

Barnett Newman was also known as a Color Field Paintor. I chose him for his paintings that were characterised by areas of color separated by thin vertical lines win which he called "zips". The art define the spatial structure of the painting, and at the same time separating