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.
Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Linen, Epoxy Resin, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Wood Panel
1980s Abstract More Art
Tapestry
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a small group of people gathered around the statue of Venus at the Louvre in Paris. Sunlight s...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Archival Ink, Giclée, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Acrylic
1970s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Textile, Cotton
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Glitter, Acrylic
Artist Comments
This painting is part of Suren Nersisyan's series of California landscapes focusing on the nature and stunning light around Los Angeles. He draws inspiration from the residential streets, parks and gardens that dot the vast city. Of this piece, Suren says Just before dusk, the soft light from the sun and the beautiful colors of vintage buildings...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Doug Cosbie paints a summer pastoral scene with barns and farmhouses in the distance. "There are many old family farms west of Washington DC in the county of Fauquier," says Doug. He includes the Stars and Stripes barn found near Delaplane, VA. Vivid hues of blue and green color the breezy natural landscape.
About the Artist
Artist Doug Cosbie presents the vibrancy found in nature with his impressionist, rural architecture centered artwork. Longing to create something that connects with people, Cosbie spent countless years perfecting how he portrays the world on canvas. Within his journey, he studied as an apprentice in the studios of Sam Black and Jack Shadbolt. As a plein air artist, Doug's studio is a portable pochade box. He begins by finding a location that speaks to him, makes a sketch, and continues to add depth and dimension with oil on canvas. "Creativity when making art is not about interpreting exactly as you see it. New ideas are formed by interesting contrasts, and interesting paintings happen when things are out of place." In the rare cases when he is not painting, you can find him reading, traveling, sailing, and spending quality time with his family. Cosbie's creations have been showcased at galleries in Canada. He is an alumnus of Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Words that describe this painting: barns, farm, landscape, Virginia, USA, United States, summer, hills, structures, buildings, architecture, pastoral, rural, town, sky, oilpaint, travel, impressionism, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, blue
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Metal
Artist Comments
As the sun rises, golden hues of peach and soft shades of blue illuminate the pond. Artist Gail Greene paints this restorative moment capturing the quiet and ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Linen, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Fabric
Artist Comments
The painting is a result of my impressions from traveling in Mexico. Old, colorful, dramatic looking houses under the bright sun look dynamic and full of life energy.
About the Artist
Suren is an impressionist painter eloquently capturing nature, landscapes, and cityscapes in paint. His body of work reflects several different stylistic approaches. Suren’s scenes in oil are inspired by Impressionist masters Monet and Van Gogh, while his watercolor series of flowers and birds are influenced by Eastern styles of painting and the colors of the Middle Eastern environment. Suren believes his role as an artist is to remind viewers that we all are part of the same natural universe.
Sunny Day, Street in Puerto Vallarta...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Porcelain, Screen, Cardboard, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
The rear arbor and limestone pond of a historic mansion in Ringwood located in northern New Jersey. On the upper tier of the arb...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Textile, Canvas, Paper, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Glitter, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract More Art
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Suren Nersisyan depicts saguaro cactuses in the deserts of Arizona standing under the hot sun. Their large fleshy stems stretch up to the sky thriving ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
20th Century Abstract More Art
Paper, Offset
1980s Abstract More Art
Silk, Screen
Early 2000s Abstract More Art
Screen
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Fabric, Textile, Tapestry, Cotton, Silk
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Glitter
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract More Art
Tapestry, Wool
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1980s Abstract More Art
Fabric, Textile, Tapestry, Wool
2010s Abstract More Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Mid-20th Century Abstract More Art
Fabric, Paint
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A fall landscape at sunset, with golden clouds rushing across the expansive sky. "Northern New Mexico is known for mythical light, sculptural land forms and d...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Spray Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Gold Leaf
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Faye Vander Veer depicts a cozy rainy evening in the city. "You can almost hear the sound of the tires as the traffic moves along the wet pavement," says Faye. Drizzly street scenes are among her favorite subjects to portray. She paints reflected headlights and other ambient lighting to give a feeling of warmth and calm.
About the Artist
Artist Faye Vander Veer seeks out moments with engaging narratives and captures them with an impressionist style. Her dramatic use of color, texture, light and shadow lend a glowing quality, creating an energy all their own. While using her own photographs as a general reference, it is her sensory memory of the event and her emotional reaction that is conveyed on the canvas, causing the viewer to be transported to another time and place. “Painting becomes a language I use to express my emotional response to what is before me and share my experience of the subject with others,“ says Faye.
Words that describe this painting: impressionism, cityscape, city, San Francisco, architecture, nocturne, rain, cars, pedestrians, buildings, lights, Mark League, street, road, facade, evening, cab, taxi, street light, oilpaint, reflection, travel, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, blue
Evening Rain...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Ceramic, Porcelain
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
