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.
2010s Abstract More Art
Walnut, Paper, Found Objects, Oil, Photographic Paper
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
1970s Abstract More Art
Archival Paper, Screen
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Shyun Song employs linear geometric forms and a monochromatic color palette to create a bold statement. "In this painting, I captured the blissful sensat...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Oil
1980s Abstract More Art
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Silver
2010s Abstract More Art
Gold, Brass
2010s Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Jute
2010s Abstract More Art
Jute
2010s Abstract More Art
Jute
2010s Abstract More Art
Jute
2010s Abstract More Art
Wire
2010s Abstract More Art
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Oil Pastel, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Resin, Epoxy Resin, Oil Pastel, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract More Art
Glitter, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass, Plastic
1990s Abstract More Art
Tapestry
2010s Abstract More Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass
1960s Abstract More Art
Wool
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass
2010s Abstract More Art
Paper, Engraving
2010s Abstract More Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Glitter, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass
2010s Abstract More Art
Glass
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
Artist Comments
In artist Gail Ragains' figurative piece, a woman takes a breather on the beach. She reclines comfortably on a green chair, in a mix of gestural marks within a thought-out composition. The muted color combination allows the warm and cool shades to play off each other.
About the Artist
Artist Gail Ragains paints abstract figurative works defined by strong color combinations and intuitive mark-making. "I approach each creative process as an open-ended improvisation," says Gail. "It is an evolving journey without preconceived plans for a predictable outcome. I react to the materials at hand, stripping away the non-essentials to give a loose interpretation of form, movement, and human expression." Inspired by the physical gestures and emotions of people, the human figure dominates Gail's art. As a young person, Gail was active in dance, ice skating, and gymnastics and competed in triathlons in her 20s. While pursuing a career as a massage therapist for 25 years, Gail simultaneously attended art classes through community colleges, the local Art League, and workshops with artists she admires. Having lived in California her entire life, Gail is influenced by the California colors—golden hills, clear blue skies, swimsuits, and swimming pools. Today, her studio is in her backyard just a few steps away from the home she shares with her husband. “In this workspace, I have everything I need. Good light, music, fresh air, and my studio mate, Sadie, the cutest 14 lb. mixed-breed rescue pup.â€
Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, people, Richard Diebenkorn, gestural, expressive, colorful, beach, sand, paper, acrylicpaint, portrait, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, beige
Beach Chair...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
1980s Abstract More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
2010s Abstract More Art
Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset
Artist Comments
Artist John Diehl creates a sharp diagonal division that cleaves the subject into two distinctive halves. The upper portion features a solid white trapezoid, wh...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
In this large composition, artist John Diehl crafts a monolithic piece using the Pythagorean theorem and advanced light-absorbing paint. While its elegance is a...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
20th Century Abstract More Art
Textile
Artist Comments
Artist John Diehl paints a triangular shape with crisp, bold lines cutting through it, giving it a sense of structure. While its elegance is apparent from a dis...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract More Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract More Art
Metal
