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.
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Lenticular
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Silk
1980s Abstract Mixed Media
Watercolor
Artist Comments
A blue sphere with a red center hovers in the middle of the scene. It symbolizes a presence that communicates without words, the voice of awakening. A meditat...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Mid-20th Century Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Encaustic, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
Artist Linda Shaffer created this layered abstract based on her travels. "Within it are metallic papers and diary papers from an antique shop, as well as writ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Steel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Brass
Artist Comments
"I've always been fascinated by what people see in my paintings," says artist Patrick O'Boyle. Through collage techniques and expressive paintwork, he demonst...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper
1970s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil Crayon, Graphite
1970s Abstract Mixed Media
Masonite, Acrylic, Graphite
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1950s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Thread, Ink, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Graphite
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil Pastel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil Pastel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Adhesive, Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Rubber, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Metal
![Untitled 09 [Dissecting the Unknown 09] - 21st Century, Abstract, Black, Organic](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/zsolt-berszan-paintings-untitled-09-dissecting-the-unknown-09-21st-century-abstract-black-organic-for-sale/a_6863/1594125407711/Untitled_09_mixed_technique_metal_sheet_25x20cm_2015_2016_master.jpg?width=240 "Zsolt Berszán - Untitled 09 [Dissecting the Unknown 09] - 21st Century, Abstract, Black, Organic")
1980s Abstract Mixed Media
Fabric, Tapestry, Thread, Dye, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Lacquer, India Ink, Acrylic, Pigment
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paint, Paper, Conté, Charcoal, India Ink, Acrylic, Tempera, Watercolor, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel, Pigment
Artist Comments
A burst of colorful squares with various patterns intricately arranged by artist Tomo Mori. "I make tiles with fabrics, then utilize a traditional mosaic technique with acrylic painting," explains Tomo. She carefully cuts each square of vintage kimonos and sets them in a mesmerizing fashion. "The image has layers and slight three-dimensionality to create an interesting texture. The canvas is linen and it adds warmth to the overall feeling. Gold colors reflect light and the painting looks different during the day and night."
About the Artist
Tomo Mori finds herself drawn to images that are melting, dripping, streaming and flowing. Her process is extremely meticulous yet spontaneous in its execution, allowing natural instinct to guide the creativity and fluidity of the work. Tomo's signature technique is collage made of canvas on canvas, a style that adds depth and dimension to her work. Born in Osaka, Japan, her family moved to Tokyo when she was four, where she recalls happy family memories under the cherry blossoms. She is now based in New York, and when she's not making art, Tomo likes spending time with her family and dancing.
Words that describe this painting: mosaic, collage, abstract, nursery, childhood, fabric, pattern, contemporary, kimono, Japanese, mixed media...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Encaustic, Oil, Board, Tissue Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Mixed Media
Textile, Oil, Acrylic, Graphite
Artist Comments
As I look around, I hear everyone talking, but very few appear to be doing. This piece is created using reclaimed wood. It comes ready to hang.
About the Artist
When asked how she became an artist, sculptor Heather Patterson replied, “I just seem to be built that way.” Heather is passionate about creating, and is constantly inspired by her daily surroundings and experiences. The artist’s body of work is governed by her mission to reassign meaning to materials that have outlived their perceived purpose. She works with reclaimed wood and window panes to produce geometric wall sculptures that may remind the viewer of abstract modernist paintings. Modernism conjures an underlying tension in Heather-–a “vibration,” she calls it. Each sculpture is created without a premeditated plan or sketch, but is instead governed by feeling and intuition.
After All...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A dynamic modern abstract in natural browns, beiges, cream and white. "This piece is based on the sides of cliffs along a river valley close to where the dino...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Lacquer, India Ink, Watercolor, Pigment
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Handmade Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1980s Abstract Mixed Media
Wool
Early 2000s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Encaustic, Panel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
