Abstract Expressionism In New York City

Around the 1940s, a post—World War II art movement called ‘Abstract Expressionism’ was developed in New York, United State. The term "Abstract Expressionism" was first used in Germany in connection with Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky in 1919; however, in New York, this art movement created the international influences, later, it introduced New York city to be one of the most significant and the center of western art. Abstract Expressionism was influenced by two specific art groups— Surrealism and Cubism. A term to explain the major idea of abstract Expressionism is the “Action Painting”. In “ The American Action Painters”, Harold Rosenberg simply explained what id Abstract Expressionism, “What was to go on the canvas was not a picture

As we see the work, the whole composition of the painting is really chaos, it is covered with liner configurations, and the trace of each splash of paints can be identify well. Thus, these expression liners show a really strong sense of movement, the composition gives the viewer a feeling of freedom. Also, the lines seem like they are still moving and splashing onto the surface of the canvas. When we get close look at the painting, the surface of this work is almost a three dimensional work, due to Pollock applied not just dripped paint on the canvas, but also some subjects like nails, tacks, buttons, key, coins, cigarettes, matches that combined and sealed with the paint. It’s hard to tell what else materials that Pollock used in this painting, however, it is enough for us for

About the technique that Pollock used, according to Nicolas Pioch of the WebMusuem, he explains, “His (Pollock) solution was to pour from a can of domestic paint along a stick resting inside the container, so that a constant 'beam' of pigment came into contact with the canvas (which he left unstretched on the studio floor)” (Pioch). The linear configuration of the “Full Fathom Five” is expressing a strong application of the procedure. Without the title and explain about the title, we won’t be able to tell what the subjects matter is, and what is Pollock trying to tell us; however, that’s part of the central idea of Abstract Expressionism. Refer to what Rosenberg once explained that in the abstract expressionism painting, what you see is an event but not a picture. Subsequently, Rosenberg also claimed that, “ The painter no longer approached his easel with an image in his mind; he went up to it with the material in his hand to do something to that other piece of material in front of him. The image would be the result of this encounter” (589). For Pollock, the explanation is totally accurate, the procedure of him doing his art is just like that. As what Rosenberg indicated, “The act-painting is of the same metaphysical substance as the artist’s existence” (590). The action of swinging his arm, moving and twist his wrist, the movement that the paint is dripped, the moment that the brush tip is touching