Expressionism as Its Name Implies,

¶ … Expressionism

As its name implies, Abstract Expressionism deals primarily with abstract subjects, although some are based on reality. The product of imagination, emotion, and the political frustrations of the Great Depression and World War Two, the movement, which included Gorky's bright abstractions that seem somewhat familiar, Jackson Pollock's paint drip style, and De Kooning's "iconic figurative images," was at its height during the years between 1943 and the middle 1950s (Paul 2008).

As an informal movement, Abstract Expressionism developed in New York City when a group of new artists began experimenting with similar abstract subjects that were influenced by the tumultuous political and economic climate of the day. The artists attempted to create works that would express their "individual psyches" that were not overtly political. What emerged was a new kind of art, which was generally composed of bright colors and an "abstract mode" (Paul 2008).

The first mode through which this type of art expressed itself was through imitation of ancient artwork. The artists "all looked to ancient or primitive cultures for expression" and inspiration. As they became confident in their new style, however, the artists followed a timeline to maturity. Part of that maturity included the method of painting, or gesture. Unlike classical artists, the abstract expressionists dripped paint on canvases, used nontraditional tools or no tools at all, and insisted that the finished product was an expression of the artist, or the artist's signature. The result of this type of painting was both original and striking. Another aspect of the movement's mature style included an understanding of the "expressive potential of color," using color to achieve the "sublime" and move out of the accepted understanding of memory and experience (Paul 2008).