Abstract More Art
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.
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Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer came across this sunny summer moment while traveling in San Francisco. "I was drawn to the contrast be...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Textile, Felt
Artist Comments
Artist Yangzi Xu depicts an iconic view of LaSalle Street in Chicago, facing south from the bridge. She rendered this piece in a warm muted palette, setting the stage to highlight sporadic lights and reflections on wet concrete. "My focus was to convey the mood and feeling a rainy day brings to my beloved city," shares Yangzi.
About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures a nostalgia for Chicago and its dramatic seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having a full-time job and being a wife and mother, Yangzi makes a habit of painting everyday to keep her passion exciting and fresh. She keeps a queue of ideas and reference photos that she takes throughout the year. She looks through her references, tweaks and adds elements to them. Once inspiration strikes, Yangzi draws several sketches and begins to work with oils on canvas on multiple pieces at once - to keep each painting spontaneous and new. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd and yet feel alone," Yangzi says. "My main intent is not to capture the physical reality of a scene, but to express my own moods and feelings to my audience." In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with her current favorite genres being biographies and memoirs. Yangzi is an alumnus of DePaul University in Chicago.
Words that describe this painting: Chicago, La Salle...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Textile, Felt
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Gold Leaf
2010s Abstract More Art
Textile, Canvas, Paper, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Leather, Mirror
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Kip Decker pictures an abandoned barn and silo in the upstate, capturing the rustic countryside as autumn finally sets in. Wildflowers blanket the tang...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Stanislav Sidorov presents an expressionist overhead view of Meissen Germany as part of his Cityscape series. The scene boasts old European architecture and stands beautifully in vibrant colors. Blue gusts of wind blow over the red roofs of the houses on a fantastic autumn day. Stanislav paints with a palette knife for a sharp application of structure and color.
About the Artist
Stanislav Sidorov saturates his canvas with the expressive color characteristic of the Russian...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Melissa Gannon paints a vibrant landscape of autumnal aspens. Melissa draws inspiration from her adventure of a trip thro...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
Early 2000s Abstract More Art
Lithograph, Offset
Early 2000s Abstract More Art
Ceramic
2010s Abstract More Art
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Abstract More Art
Metal, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Wax, Encaustic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Abstract More Art
Metal
1970s Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Drawing inspiration from her hiking trips, artist Crystal DiPietro paints scenes she personally witnesses. She depicts a hillside view of Saguaro cacti overlooking the canyon. "They stand like sentinels along the landscape," describes Crystal. She paints the mountains turning...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Glitter, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Inspired by a beautiful basin in northern New Mexico outside of Santa Fe. "A monsoonal storm passed through and left the ground wet," says artist Heather Fost...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Abstract More Art
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
1950s Abstract More Art
Lithograph, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Glass
Late 20th Century Abstract More Art
Tapestry, Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Wood, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Waves lap and crash upon rocks in this peaceful end-of-day seascape. Artist Elizabeth Garat takes inspiration from the movement of light off of California's b...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Epoxy Resin, Wood, Ink
1970s Abstract More Art
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Wood
2010s Abstract More Art
Photogram
Artist Comments
In the style of the Impressionists, artist Faye Vander Veer captures the essence of the early evening glow of the city. She de...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Textile, Canvas, Paper, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Screen