World War Two and Abstract Expressionism

Paper Summary:

A look at the impact of world wars on abstract expressionism, a genre of art. The author examines what paintings under this genre represent and how they come to play significant roles in the expression of historical events.
Table of Contents

I. Introduction

A. Brief definition of abstract expressionism

B. Examples of other relationships between artistic movements and political happenings

1. Romantic movement

2. Vietnam

C. Brief description of the effects of World War

1. effects on the U.S. economy/politics

2. effects on the people

D. Thesis as to the relationship of World War II and the rise of Abstract Expressionism

1. Three major influences

a. immigration of European artists, writers, intellectuals, scientists

b. the Surrealist movement

c. ancient influences (art)

II. Body

A. Before World War II

1. Depression

2. Thirty Years War

3. World War I

B. Historical Roots

1. the 1930s

a. political happenings/economy

b. art & the relationship between the two

2. late 1930s early 1940s

a. political happenings/economy

b. art & the relationship between the two

C. Intellectual Roots

1. Themes of Abstract Expressionism

a. the return to origins

b. the human continuum

c. conflict and the dualistic pattern of human life

d. opportunities/new beginnings

2. Heritage (Ancient influences)

3. Nature

4. the subconscious

D. Artists

1. Gesture

a. style

b. specific artists

2. Color Field

a. style

b. specific artists

3. In-between

a. style

b. specific artists

III. Conclusion

A. The evolution of art starting from the period of the 1930s (WWI, Depression, etc.) to

after World War II

1. Content

2. Purpose

3. Style

B. How World War II molded Abstract Expressionism and how the artists drew from World War II

1. the people's responses to the war

2. united aspects of the art that showed a general feeling towards WWII

C. How, by the rising of Abstract Expressionism, modern art was affected, and how it

changed the way that people expressed their sentiments

From the Paper:

"At first, there was an initial resistance to Abstract Expressionism, but by the 1950s it was recognized as the dominant force in American painting, encouraged by the government while being considered a symbol of American cultural freedom.For the first time ever, American art received widespread and serious attention in Europe. Abstract Expressionism can hardly be characterized as a single movement due to the diversity of the art it encompasses. Despite this variety, Abstract Expressionist paintings share several broad characteristics they are basically abstract, emphasizing free, spontaneous, and personal emotional expression, and they exercise considerable freedom of technique in order to attain this goal. The artists of this period manipulate the physical variables of the paint in order to convey expressive qualities, often on large canvases to give the visual effects an engrossing power. Abstract Expressionist artists can be divided into three categories based on style - gesture painting, such as done by Jackson Pollock, color field painting as done by Mark Rothko, or an in-between style as done by Robert Motherwell."

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