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Abstract Mixed Media

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
Artist: Joan Giordano
"Moving Inside Out" Abstract, Hanging Wall Relief Sculpture, Handmade Paper
Located in New York, NY
"Moving Inside Out" from the "Presences" series by Joan Giordano Mixed Media, Caste Handmade Paper (made from Kozo or Abaca Paper with natural pigment), Bamboo, Encaustic Wax, Steel...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Steel

"Fading Out, Fading In" Abstract, Handmade Paper Wall Hanging Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
"Fading Out, Fading In" from the "Presences" series by Joan Giordano Mixed Media, Caste Handmade Paper (made from Kozo or Abaca Paper with natural pigment), B...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Steel

"Moss" Abstract, Hanging Wall Relief Sculpture, Handmade Paper Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
"Moss" from the "Presences" series by Joan Giordano Mixed Media, Caste Handmade Paper (made from Kozo or Abaca Paper with natural pigment), Bamboo, Encaustic Wax on a Steel Stand M...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Steel

Double Reflection
Located in New York, NY
"Double Reflection" by Joan Giordano Mixed media, photo lithograph on yupo paper Award-winning artist Joan Giordano has created a new series of unique, mixed media works on paper...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Handmade Paper, Lithograph, Mixed Media, Paper, Photographic Paper, Synt...

"Opening Doors" Abstract, Photo Lithograph on Heavy Acid-Free Paper
Located in New York, NY
"Opening Doors" by Joan Giordano Photo lithograph on heavy, acid-free paper Award-winning artist Joan Giordano has created a new series of unique, mixed media works on paper. "Sec...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Handmade Paper, Lithograph, Mixed Media, Paper, Photographic Paper, Synt...

The Antoinette Sample Garment
Located in New York, NY
"The Antoinette Sample Garment" by Joan Giordano Mixed Media, Photo Lithograph on Yupo Paper Award-winning artist Joan Giordano has created a new series of unique, mixed media wo...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Handmade Paper, Lithograph, Mixed Media, Paper, Photographic Paper, Synt...

"Wind Lanterns" Abstract, Mixed Media Lithograph Collage
Located in New York, NY
"Wind Lanterns" by Joan Giordano Mixed Media Abstract Photo Lithograph on Yupo Paper Award-winning artist Joan Giordano has created a new series of unique, mixed media works on pape...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media, Handmade Paper, Photographic Paper, Synthetic Paper,...

"Majestic" Abstract, Mixed Media Lithograph Collage
Located in New York, NY
"Majestic" by Joan Giordano Mixed Media, Photo Lithograph on Yupo Paper Award-winning artist Joan Giordano has created a new series of unique, mixed media works on paper. "Sections ...
Category

2010s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Synthetic Paper, Handmade Paper, Lithograph, Mixed Media, Paper, Photogr...

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Alice in Grayland
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Alan Shields Alice in Grayland, 1979 Mixed media collage: Etching, aquatint, screen print with stitching and collage on hand made paper Hand signed, dated, titled and numbered 1/13 by Alan Shields on the front Unique variant This very unique and imaginative mixed media paper collage with stitching and fabric is floated and framed in a museum quality white wood frame with UV plexiglass. It is hand signed, dated, titled and numbered from the limited edition of 13 - but each is a unique variant. Frame included: Measurements: Frame: 27.75 x 22.5 x 2 inches Artwork: 23.5 x 18 inches Catalogue Raisonne: K. Tyler Tyler Graphics: Catalogue Raisonné, 1974-1985, New York: Abbeville Press, 1987. p. 289. Alan Shields came of age artistically in the late 1960s in New York. Expanding the boundaries of Minimalism, he became known as a master of aesthetic invention through his wide-ranging exploration of materials and techniques. His mixed media works often contain combinations of traditional silkscreen processes combined with found materials. New York Times critic Roberta Smith wrote in her 2005 obituary for the artist: "Mr. Shields's work combined expanses of gorgeous stained color, reminiscent of Helen Frankenthaler's canvases, with the humbler crafts and a Gypsy sense of portability." Critic Robert Hughes has described Shields as a brilliant bricoleur who could, and often did, make art out of just about anything. He became an innovative printmaker, experimenting with handmade paper and turning out editions in which each print was unique. After his passing, Shields was awarded a Judith Rothschild Foundation grant given to recently deceased abstract artists whose work is of the highest quality but merits further recognition. About Alan Shields: Alan Shields (b. 1944, Herington, KS; d. 2005, Shelter Island, NY) created unique, imaginative, and theatrical structures using unconventional materials and vibrant color. His three-dimensional paintings convey a playful, deconstructive impulse through the incorporation of un-stretched hand-dyed canvas, rope, yarn, beads, and wood. Shields moved to New York City in 1968, where he showed with Paula Cooper...
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Alice in Grayland
Alice in Grayland
H 27.75 in W 22.5 in D 2 in
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Located in Long Island City, NY
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Abstract mixed media for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abstract mixed media 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 mixed media created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Francisco Nicolás, Melisa Taylor Metzger, Aimée Farnet Siegel, and Franco DeFrancesca. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Mixed Media 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 mixed media, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for mixed media 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 $1 and tops out at $385,000, while the average work sells for $2,221.

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