Abstract Mixed Media
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Acrylic, Panel, Handmade Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Epoxy Resin, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Dynamic gestural strokes in black swish and splatter above blocks of yellow and grey in this expressive abstract by artist Kris Haas. Drips of black form subtle...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Panel, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Libby Ramage is on a perpetual hunt for interesting wine labels to use for her art. "These two deeply colored Cabernet labels with the white secondary labels suggested to me passion in the quest for peace," shares Libby. "Is the dove out of their reach or just released? The eternal search for a peaceful existence is very much present in my own life as well as globally. Personally, I am working to keep myself healthy and the anxiety of our times at bay. Wine and art definitely help."
About the Artist
Libby Ramage infuses a playful and whimsical mood into her works. In fact, she credits the children she works with for greatly influencing her aesthetic. She often uses children’s abandoned work in her collages. Libby currently lives in New Jersey and finds inspiration in the work of Rauschenberg. She believes collectors should buy from the heart.
Words that describe this painting: wine labels, dove, bird, people, peace, cabernet sauvignon, small, paper, mixed media, expressive, expressionism, collage, primitive, couple, expressionism, people, mixed media artwork, red
La Paloma...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Epoxy Resin, Glue, Glaze, Glitter, Ink, Acrylic, Pigment, Other Medium
Early 2000s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Acrylic, Wood Panel, Paper
Artist Comments
A modern distressed abstract in hues of black, blue, and yellow by artist Kris Haas. Feather-like shapes spread and spiral from top to bottom leaving varying sh...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wood, Birch, Plywood, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Resin, Mixed Media, Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Kris Haas creates expressive mixed-media abstracts on paper where she relies on intuition when combining blocks of color with free-form shapes. “I thin...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
“This painting was inspired by the desire to come together, visit, share, and feel the comfort of good neighbors at the neighborhood block party,†says arti...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A dynamic abstract formed by layers of distressed paint and paper by artist Margriet Hogue. Black and white play a balanced dance ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Panel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Encaustic, Wax
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Kris Haas depicts an abstract image with vertical see-through columns and vigorous strokes in black and yellow. The piece cuts in sections with an even p...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wood, Plexiglass, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wax, Wood Panel, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wood, Spray Paint, Vinyl
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wax, Wood Panel, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Mitchell Erick takes inspiration from Suprematism, an avant-garde art movement influenced by artist and theorist, Kazimir Malevich in the early 20th century. "Malevich lauded the supremacy of elemental shapes like circles, squares, and rectangles over the representational world," says Mitchell. As the first piece in a series of Malevich interpretations in wood, Mitchell highlights the supremacy of geometric shapes while also displaying the dominance of one color over another.
About the Artist
Artist Mitchell Erick creates wood assemblages in the manner of suprematism. “I enjoy the physical aspects of working with lightweight poplar wood slats—cutting, sanding, painting, connecting, to create abstract, contemporary wall hangings,†says Mitchell. He has had a long career as an advertising copywriter and creative director working for ad agencies in New York and Honolulu, as well as The Walt Disney Company for nine years. He also ran his own boutique agency and now works for a financial services company. First inspired by a Mondrian print...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Mulberry Paper, Tissue Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Plywood, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Wood Panel, Plaster, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
LED Light, Acrylic
1990s Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
Part of artist Kris Haas' derivative and ongoing Disjointed Reality series. This piece features dynamic strokes and splatters in black that emerge among translu...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A flowing abstract panorama with multiple layers of paint, hand-printed paper, washi paper, and original images. Artist Linda Shaffer...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A modern distressed abstract in black, beige, and yellow by artist Kris Haas. Kris follows an intuitive process that starts with selecting an image that stand...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Thick splashes and spatters in black appear over bold strokes of umber, yellow, and deep green in this expressive abstract by artist Kris Haas. Scratches and ma...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Metal
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Ink, Mixed Media, Handmade Paper, Pigment
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Resin, Mixed Media, Panel
Artist Comments
Artist Joey Korom offers this work as an interpretation of Earth’s landscape from a sky-high vantage point. Joey's use of a subtle color palette works in tand...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Kris Haas depicts an abstract image with vigorous strokes and strong emotions. With colors of black, yellow, and beige, the piece cuts in sections where ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Worn and Torn is a derivative and ongoing series of artist Kris Haas' Disjointed Reality series. In this piece, abstract strokes appear in six translucent secti...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Vertical forms in beige, grey, olive, and yellow build this modern expressive abstract by artist Kris Haas. Marks and scratches circulate the grey column...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Worn and Torn is a derivative and ongoing series of artist Kris Haas' Disjointed Reality series. In this piece, a vibrant block of shifting colors in blue, gree...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Heavy gestural strokes in black emerge between blocks of yellow, beige, and grey in this expressive abstract by artist Kris Haas. Splashes and drippings emulate...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Steel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Resin, Oil
1970s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media