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Abstract Color Photography

ABSTRACT STYLE

Beginning in the early 20th century, abstract art became a leading style of modernism. Rather than portray the world in a way that represented reality, as had been the dominating style of Western art in the previous centuries, abstract paintings, prints and sculptures are marked by a shift to geometric forms, gestural shapes and experimentation with color to express ideas, subject matter and scenes.

Although abstract art flourished in the early 1900s, propelled by movements like Fauvism and Cubism, it was rooted in the 19th century. In the 1840s, J.M.W. Turner emphasized light and motion for atmospheric paintings in which concrete details were blurred, and Paul Cézanne challenged traditional expectations of perspective in the 1890s.

Some of the earliest abstract artists — Wassily Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint — expanded on these breakthroughs while using vivid colors and forms to channel spiritual concepts. Painter Piet Mondrian, a Dutch pioneer of the art movement, explored geometric abstraction partly owing to his belief in Theosophy, which is grounded in a search for higher spiritual truths and embraces philosophers of the Renaissance period and medieval mystics. Black Square, a daringly simple 1913 work by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was a watershed statement on creating art that was free “from the dead weight of the real world,” as he later wrote.

Surrealism in the 1920s, led by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim and others, saw painters creating abstract pieces in order to connect to the subconscious. When Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the mid-20th century, it similarly centered on the process of creation, in which Helen Frankenthaler’s expressive “soak-stain” technique, Jackson Pollock’s drips of paint, and Mark Rothko’s planes of color were a radical new type of abstraction.

Conceptual art, Pop art, Hard-Edge painting and many other movements offered fresh approaches to abstraction that continued into the 21st century, with major contemporary artists now exploring it, including Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu.

Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Abstract
Golden Gate Bars, San Francisco
Located in Miami, FL
Unique camera angle frames the Golden Gate's red vertical tower in between red metal bars of the same color in foreground. Bold color and graphic shapes have defined Mitchell Funk's...
Category

Early 2000s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Untitled
Located in New Orleans, LA
From the artist, "My abstract work intrigues me the most. I like the experimental aspect of playing with a variety of materials (light, fabric, paper and glass) to create compos...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Untitled
Located in New Orleans, LA
From the artist, "My abstract work intrigues me the most. I like the experimental aspect of playing with a variety of materials (light, fabric, paper and glass) to create compos...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

'Marshmallow Building' Archival Pigment Print (Limited Edition)
Located in London, GB
'Marshmallow Building' by Stuart Möller A building appears to be strangely warped in this contemporary image. An effect caused by a double reflection of the building opposite in...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Hard Edge Abstraction - Signs and Shapes, Modern Photography Cover
Located in Miami, FL
Modern Photography Cover , August 1978 Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso Edition 3 of 15, Unframed. Printed later, Printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art paper Other size...
Category

1970s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Wall Scratches
Located in New York, NY
C Print Photograph, signed on reverse available as 30"x45" edition of 5 This is from Stephen Mallon's series, "American Reclamation" which captures the abstract beauty within d...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Colored Walls, 42nd st. New York
Located in Miami, FL
Color field painting meets Color Photography Signature: Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso Edition 3of 15. Unframed. Other size available, printed later
Category

1980s Abstract Color Photography

Lower Manhattan drenched in Magical Light
Located in Miami, FL
Shot from Brooklyn Heights in 1975 - Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso, Edition 3 of 15, Printed later. Unframed, Other size available. Mitchell Funk is a early...
Category

1970s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Cable Car and Motorcycle , San Francisco
Located in Miami, FL
Graphic and original depiction of familiar scene. Signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso, Edition 2 of 15, Printed later. Unframed
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

SUN 1
Located in Fairfield, CT
​Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA -- Charney writes of her process: “For many years, I'd been trying to combine painting and photography with very contrived results. O...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Aluminum

CB4
Located in Fairfield, CT
​Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA -- Charney writes of her process: “For many years, I'd been trying to combine painting and photography with very contrived results...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Aluminum

Trimmings
Located in New York, NY
C Print Photograph, signed on reverse available as 30"x45" edition of 5 This is from Stephen Mallon's series, "American Reclamation" which captures the abstract beauty within d...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Abstract Brooklyn Bridge, Camera 35 Cover, 1973
Located in Miami, FL
Shipping should be around $100. In-camera multiple exposure with colored gels produces a complex semi-abstract image generation ahead of its time. Created in 1970. Camera 35 Cove...
Category

1960s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Between Rain
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

SPL 13
Located in Fairfield, CT
​Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA -- Charney writes of her process: “For many years, I'd been trying to combine painting and photography with very contrived results. O...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Aluminum

SPL 6
Located in Fairfield, CT
​Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA -- Charney writes of her process: “For many years, I'd been trying to combine painting and photography with very contrived results. O...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Aluminum

Umbrellas on Fifth Aven
Located in Miami, FL
chromogenic archival print, signed and dated on lower right, numbered on verso , 2/15 , unframed
Category

Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Golden Dawn
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Mar Ligure
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Palm Pool 2
Located in Fairfield, CT
In this fast moving world, photographer Chris Leidy has found his inspiration within the depths of global oceans. Under water, Chris captures a vision – a flash in time – through his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Light Path
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Still
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Echo
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Caribbean Blues
Located in Fairfield, CT
Also available 50 x 70 in. $9,500, edition of 10. Christine Matthäi was born in Germany. She lives and works between Shelter Island, New York, Germany and the Bahamas. Her LIGHT a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

C Print

Moon Bathers
Located in Fairfield, CT
In this fast moving world, photographer Chris Leidy has found his inspiration within the depths of global oceans. Under water, Chris captures a vision – a flash in time – through his...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Split Screen
Located in Fairfield, CT
In this fast moving world, photographer Chris Leidy has found his inspiration within the depths of global oceans. Under water, Chris captures a vision – a flash in time – through his...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Pigment

2 Large Format Abstract Unique Color Photo Polaroid Pulls Ellen Carey Photograph
Located in Surfside, FL
Ellen Carey Unique pair of photo art Polaroid panels Untitled, Red Moire Positive (Polaroid Pulls) Dimensions: H 75" x W 25.5" x D 2" From a series...
Category

1980s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Polaroid

Mohamed Yakub Color Long Exposure Photograph Teal Abstract Horizontal Kenyan
Located in Nantucket, MA
Mohamad does not use titles for his photographs. Such naming or framing can constrain or shape a viewer’s engagement with an image. Without such titles, his imagery conjures imaginative spaces, movement and flow, worlds without the constraints of gravity, a visionary place of the mind or an otherworldly cosmos. He is fascinated with streams of light...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Sennen
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sennen is a new study, and the first in a series of works based around a loose grid of interlocking circular forms. This impression is #20 in an edition of 24. The work takes on some of the language of artists such as Sonia Delaunay and Sarah Morris, who both use flat geometric grids as the basis for many of their studies. I’ve taken that idea and built it up into something more complex and textured, that I hope is redolent of a landscape, or perhaps just a dreamlike imagining of a landscape, filtered as ever through the digital, and its ability to layer and distort form. Chuck Elliott (b. 1967, Camberwell, London) is a pioneer of digitally generated art. He claims to have used the first Apple Macintosh...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Pigment

XGEN 2
Located in New Orleans, LA
XGen 2 / chromatic variation 5 is taken from a new set of drawings designed to explore, and riff on, the energy contained within a simple X form. I hope the edition captures some of the kinetic energy and life contained within the essence of the original form too. This is impression #23, a ten color pigment print on Hahnemuhle 340 gsm photo paper. The study builds on a simple X shaped grid that generates the underlying drawing, which I overlaid with experimental mark making, building up layers of texture and colour to work the piece up into something a little more painterly than many of my previous editions have been. I like the idea that the ink seems quite fluid, but also sits on a fairly rigid geometric grid. That combination would be hard to achieve off system I think, and as ever, I really enjoy seeing if I can make the digital speak with a little more soul, and just generally feel more haptic than might otherwise be the case. A lot of the joy, for me, is in the unexpected overlaps and misalignments in the final drawings. I feel there’s something of Sean Scully’s style here too, I’m drawn to his works, but always with a slight scepticism. I tend to feel there’s something a little suspect about that bravura level of underworking, but really I think I’m just envious of the raw confidence he brings to his mark making! Chuck Elliott (b. 1967, Camberwell, London) is a pioneer of digitally generated art. He claims to have used the first Apple Macintosh...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Pigment

1996 "Tank Fight" Abstract Figurative Color Photograph
Located in Arp, TX
Greg Ilich "Tank Fight" 1996 Color photograph on glossy paper 11"x8.5" unframed Signed in ink lower right Came from artist's estate
Category

Late 20th Century Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Mimi Love 02 - The Painters Project, by Eric Ceccarini
Located in New York, NY
A photograph mounted to aluminum, protected by a mat lamination and set in a black float frame. This limited edition artwork is offered in 3 sizes. This artwork is offered in 3 sizes. The price of the artwork increases with the edition. Please contact us to inquire about the current edition number, availability, and price. A meeting between a painter, a model and the photographer… Extensive, both in time and scope; ThePainters Project is an ongoing collection of collaborations with painters to whom Eric offers as a canvas some of the very best models he has enjoyed working with during his career. For a number of these artists the project offers them a step in the dark, an escape into unknown territory. They must settle into a new environment with unfamiliar light, unusual shadows and highlights and a canvas that is not only three dimensional but alive, breathing and sentient. Movements and poses influence their strokes, they must discover, adapt and ultimately tame this canvas with their brush. Together, the body and the art become one to achieve the sublime. To blend the often distinct viewpoints of different disciplines and work together; to mix various instruments, tools and angles is an uncommon, yet extremely rewarding and exciting approach, but also contrary to the eternal solitude of the artist, a commonly echoed mantra in the art sphere. This unorthodox partnership gives birth to wonderful and often surprising creations. Magic succeeds when the ephemeral and volatile nature of paint on the human skin is forever captured through the lens and immortalised onto the image. The electric blue lines across the woman's body illuminate the photo and it seems as if she's wearing a cape. More than hundred meetings have already taken place with artists from the UK, Uruguay, Mauritius, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, the US, China, Venezuela, Russia and many other countries all across the globe. Photography, painting, model, contemporary, collaboration, women, paint, writing, shapes, black, white, blue, nude, body, beauty, emotion, pride, belgium, colors, bright, silhouette, french art, portrait, nude, body, portrait, thick layers, material, lina redford...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment, Digital, Archival Pigment, Photographic Paper, Photogra...

Triptych - Water Theme - Mounted on Plexiglass
Located in New York, NY
Water photography - abstract feel - turquoise hue. About the Artist: Known for his large format prints of equestrian portraits and stunning sea...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Diptyque - "The Ride of the Knight" - Swisse
Located in Miami, FL
Aerial photography. Limited and signed edition, number 2 of 8. Originally from Belgium, Antoine Rose is a self-taught photographer who started acquiring the necessary skills to capture and model the light through the lens of his camera at the age of 8 years old. Over time, he developed an ardent passion for photography, travels and the sea. He was the official photographer of the kitesurfing world cup for several consecutive years and has traveled around the globe, from South Africa to Istanbul, in order to capture those magic moments. Antoine is a published artist with major international brands who have commissioned his materials for worldwide advertising campaigns. In his latest series, rose approach to photography became more minimalist, trying to convert ordinary scenes, landscapes or objects into pieces of art. Up in the air series Antoine rose has commenced working on “up in the air” series in 2002, while he was shooting the kitesurfing world cup in Rio de Janeiro; being perfectionist, he dedicated a couple of years on refining his ideas. The latest images of the series, on display in the current show, were shot around the Hamptons shorelines and have recently been featured at the photo fever art fair in Brussels, Belgium and at the 2012 fall edition of the affordable art fair in New York, receiving a very warm welcome from the audience. In an interview, the artist confessed about his adventurous working process: “shooting from helicopters, all doors removed, 300 feet above earth at 20 knots and getting tack sharp images that can be printed as large as 120 inches is quite a challenge”. Indeed, his works are oversized photographs...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Film

Diptyque - "The Odyssey" - Sweden
Located in Miami, FL
Aerial photography. Limited and signed edition, number 3 of 8. Originally from Belgium, Antoine Rose is a self-taught photographer who started acquiring the necessary skills to capture and model the light through the lens of his camera at the age of 8 years old. Over time, he developed an ardent passion for photography, travels and the sea. He was the official photographer of the kitesurfing world cup for several consecutive years and has traveled around the globe, from South Africa to Istanbul, in order to capture those magic moments. Antoine is a published artist with major international brands who have commissioned his materials for worldwide advertising campaigns. In his latest series, rose approach to photography became more minimalist, trying to convert ordinary scenes, landscapes or objects into pieces of art. Up in the air series Antoine rose has commenced working on “up in the air” series in 2002, while he was shooting the kitesurfing world cup in Rio de Janeiro; being perfectionist, he dedicated a couple of years on refining his ideas. The latest images of the series, on display in the current show, were shot around the Hamptons shorelines and have recently been featured at the photo fever art fair in Brussels, Belgium and at the 2012 fall edition of the affordable art fair in New York, receiving a very warm welcome from the audience. In an interview, the artist confessed about his adventurous working process: “shooting from helicopters, all doors removed, 300 feet above earth at 20 knots and getting tack sharp images that can be printed as large as 120 inches is quite a challenge”. Indeed, his works are oversized photographs...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Plexiglass

White
Located in Miami, FL
Digital mosaic. Limited and signed edition, number 3 of 8. Edition original 8 ex + 3 EA. Joël Moens is a serial creator. Over the course of his lifetime, he has spawned over fifteen different businesses. Nowadays, and almost schizophrenically, he switches between his businessman’s hat and his artist’s hat at the mere click of a mouse, given that this disciple of the philosophy of action devotes his time to digital art. His artistic 'love at first sight' moment was his discovery of and introduction to photo mosaics. This is a process which renews the ancient technique of mosaic and is testament to the change in status of the image that resulted from the technological revolutions of the end of the twentieth century. The particular works of Joël Moens are made up of scores of feminine curves, that when assembled form a unified whole. The tiny photographic images lend a real sense of depth to the artist’s work, an idea of infinity. They can be read in two ways, depending on whether the viewer is looking at the content or the form. This reflects the ambivalence of his existence where he alternates between his activities as a businessman and his work as an artist. The photo mosaics of Joël Moens de Hase first began to emerge in 2011. They rapidly caught the interest of a national and international viewership, and both were highly receptive. This digital art form, a contemporary alternative of pixel art...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Mosaic, Mixed Media

Untitled #10 (from Unfocused Series)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Anne K Smith Title: Untitled #10 (from Unfocused Series) Medium: Archival Inkjet Print on Museo Silver Rag Size: 10.5 x 16 inches Available in sets of 3 (mix and match) Entire "Unfo...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Ink, Inkjet

Untitled #2 (from Unfocused Series)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Anne K Smith Title: Untitled #2 (from Unfocused Series) Medium: Archival Inkjet Print on Museo Silver Rag Size: 10.5 x 16 inches Available in sets of 3 (mix and match) Entire "Unfoc...
Category

2010s Abstract Color Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Ink, Inkjet

Abstract color photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract color photography available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add color photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, red, orange, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mitchell Funk, Michael Banks, Stuart Möller, and Carol Inez Charney. Frequently made by artists working with Pigment Print, and Archival Pigment Print and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Abstract color photography, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are also available. Prices for color photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $105 and tops out at $36,000, while the average work sells for $4,141.

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