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.
NY # 40.78N_73.96W (Abstract photography)
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Plexiglas - Unframed. Artwork made with 2 elements ( 80 x 250 cm/31.5 x 98.4" each). Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Backed with Dibond ...
Plexiglass, C Print
Magnetic radiation 99 (Large) (Abstract photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Magnetic Radiation series, Janiak reveals the hidden world of magnetism by photographing ferrofluids. A ferrofluid is a liquid substance magne...
C Print
Magnetic radiation 14 (Medium) (Abstract photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5 In his Magnetic Radiation series, Janiak reveals the hidden world of magnetism by photographing ferrofluids. A ferrofluid is a liquid substance magnet...
C Print
Silver Silos and Station Wagon, Abstract Photography by Mitchell Funk
Located in Miami, FL
Abstract Landscape photography by Mitchell Funk with 1970's station wagon. Signature: Signed, Dated, Numbers 3/15 lower right recto, other sizes available. unframed, printed late...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
EM-84 Protector 2 (Abstract new media)
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
Chance/Fall (11), 2010 (Abstract photography)
Located in London, GB
C print - Unframed As the title suggests, Chance/Fall emanates from Caldicott’s improvised method. This abstract composition with overlapping and drifting layers of shimmering co...
C Print
You can write my biography but you can't have my soul
By Tina West
Located in Hudson, NY
Listing is for UNFRAMED print. Inquire within for framing. Edition of 25. If the exhibition piece is sold or the customer orders a different print size, the photograph is prod...
Archival Pigment
Résonance - water drop 84 (Large)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic print - Unframed. Edition 4/5. In his Résonance series, Janiak explores the role of sound in creation. Taking inspiration from sacred texts from multiple spiritual tr...
C Print
Trace # 201901 (Abstract photography)
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print face-mounted 3mm matt plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request - 4 week turnaround Edition o...
Plexiglass, C Print
EM2020-20 (Abstract new media)
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on watercolor paper - Unframed. Edition of 10. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Ea...
Paper, Pigment
Dissolve #201901 (Abstract photography)
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Matt Plexiglas - Unframed Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 1/3 + AP Paul Snell combines traditional ...
Plexiglass, C Print
Untitled 156 (Abstract photography)
Located in London, GB
C print - Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photographs. As he describes : "Tupper...
C Print
Loops 1 (Abstract photography)
Located in London, GB
Loops 1 (Abstract photography) Black and white photogram. Unframed. Tenesh Webber is a Canadian artist who works in abstract black and white photography. She lives and works in the...
Black and White, Photogram
Bleed # 202053 (Abstract photography)
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Edition: 3...
Plexiglass, C Print
Bleed # 202052 (Abstract photography)
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Edition: 3...
Plexiglass, C Print
EM-54 Palden Lhamo 2 (Abstract new media)
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
$8,672
EMDL-9
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
EM-3 Vajrayogini
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
EM-36 Padmasambhara 2
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
Untitled 136 (Abstract painting)
Located in London, GB
Untitled 136 (Abstract painting) C print - Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photog...
C Print
Bleed # 202009
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Available on request - 4 week turnaround. Backed with extruded polystyrene, concrete, acrylic, enamel and pigments (5...
Plexiglass, C Print
Bleed # 202012
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Available on request - 4 week turnaround. Backed with extruded polystyrene, concrete, acrylic, enamel and pigments (5...
Plexiglass, C Print
Bleed # 202022
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Available on request - 4 week turnaround. Backed with extruded polystyrene, concrete, acrylic, enamel and pigments (5...
Plexiglass, C Print
Bleed # 202025
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Available on request - 4 week turnaround. Backed with extruded polystyrene, concrete, acrylic, enamel and pigments (5...
Plexiglass, C Print
Untitled 176
Located in London, GB
C print - Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photographs. As he describes : "Tupper...
C Print
Untitled 201
Located in London, GB
C print - Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photographs. As he describes : "Tupper...
C Print
Untitled 213
Located in London, GB
C print - Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photographs. As he describes : "Tupper...
C Print
$1,376Sale Price|20% Off
Poppit Sands #19, Wales, Black and white landscape 'sand abstract' Print, Framed
Located in London, GB
Poppit Sands #19, 2011 - 2014 - Black and white abstract photographic print, Framed; Silver Gelatin Print with mount board 7.5 x 7.5 inches / 19 cm (approx.) plus frame From an editi...
Archival Paper, Black and White, Silver Gelatin, Glass, Wood
Orb # 202003
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 3mm Matte Plexiglas - Unframed. Available on request - 4 week turnaround. Backed with extruded polystyrene, concrete, acrylic, enamel and pigments (5...
Plexiglass, C Print
After Leonardo Da Vinci: Mona Lisa 1 1503, 2017
Located in Fairfield, CT
Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA --In 2013, I first saw Carol Inez Charney’s striking semi-abstract photographs depicting details of modernist architecture partially ob...
C Print
$3,523Sale Price|20% Off
Mute # 201706
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
This work is framed 8mm face and 65mm depth. Chromogenic print face-mounted 8 mm plexiglass. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 1/3. Paul...
Plexiglass, C Print
EM2020-104
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on watercolor paper - Unframed. Edition of 10. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Ea...
Paper, Pigment
$3,523Sale Price|20% Off
Mute # 201801
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
This work is framed 8mm face and 65mm depth. Chromogenic print face-mounted 8 mm plexiglass. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 1/3. Paul...
Plexiglass, C Print
EM-12 Red Tara
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
EM-39 Medicine Buddha 3
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
EM-46 Ratnasambhava
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
EM-26 Siddhartha
By Bill Kane
Located in London, GB
Pigment on canvas - Unframed. Edition of 3. The Emanations series is an attempt to express the spiritual potential of the most essential aspect of photography: light. Each work in ...
Canvas, Pigment
Hover # 201915
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print face-mounted 3mm matt plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request - 4 week turnaround Edition o...
Plexiglass, C Print
Hover # 201914
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print face-mounted 3mm matt plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request - 4 week turnaround Edition o...
Plexiglass, C Print
Trace # 201903
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print face-mounted 3mm matt plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request - 4 week turnaround Edition o...
Plexiglass, C Print
Hover # 201909
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print face-mounted 3mm matt plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request - 4 week turnaround Edition o...
Plexiglass, C Print
Remedy Weekend (Pink) metallic paper
By Wendy Small
Located in New York, NY
40"x32" photogram, metallic paper Wendy Small’s “Remedy” photograms are made by collecting leaves, weeds, or flowers from a specific place (indicated in the title) and placing those ...
Photogram
Intersect # 201502
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 2/3. Paul Snell combines traditional and digi...
Plexiglass, C Print
Photon 01 (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Photon 01 (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Photon series, Janiak explores the intrinsic duality of light. The photons we interpret as light exist in a ...
C Print
Résonance - water drop 84 (Medium)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Résonance series, Janiak explores the role of sound in creation. Taking inspiration from sacred texts from multiple spiritual traditions, he p...
C Print
$9,291
The Kitchen Drawer - An overwhelming source of detritus... everyday objects
Located in London, GB
The Kitchen Drawer Simply an overwhelming source of detritus... 'Detritus' series was born from the twin frustrations of lockdown halting all planned projects, yet litter still somehow being dropped in abundance on my street. With no idea of the final output, or indeed the hygiene implications, I started to collect, scan, and record what I found. When I realised these colourful misshapen objects could be turned into something beautiful, the frustrations left me and I began looking for other sources of Detritus. These collages gave me purpose during the pandemic and allowed me to grow something beautiful from a place of frustration. My aim is to simply give viewers of the work a fleeting moment of calm. Unable to shoot anything, I’ve been making collections of things I find on the ground and scanning them to create composite images of otherwise ignored or discarded objects." - George McLeod...
Photographic Paper, Color, Archival Pigment
Intersect # 201803
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Plexiglas - Unframed Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Edition: 1/3. ...
Plexiglass, C Print
Aluminum Siding
Located in New York, NY
40"x 60" unframed photograph, edition of 5 This photograph is from Stephen Mallon's series, "American Reclamation" and depicts a painterly composition of bailed ...
Photographic Paper, C Print
Intersect # 201702
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Edition: 2/3. ...
Plexiglass, C Print
Intersect # 201801
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Plexiglas - Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Edition: 2/3. ...
Plexiglass, C Print
$3,523Sale Price|20% Off
Mute # 201705
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
This work is framed 8mm face and 65mm depth. Chromogenic print face-mounted 8 mm plexiglass. Available on request 5-6 week turnaround. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging syst...
Plexiglass, C Print
After Henri Matisse: The Goldfish 1 1912, 2017
Located in Fairfield, CT
Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA --In 2013, I first saw Carol Inez Charney’s striking semi-abstract photographs depicting details of modernist architecture partially ob...
C Print
$5,065Sale Price|20% Off
Dissolve # 201801
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
Chromogenic Print Face-mounted 4.5mm Plexiglas- Unframed. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 2/3. Paul Snell combines traditional and digit...
Plexiglass, C Print
$3,303Sale Price|20% Off
Drift # 201501
By Paul Snell
Located in London, GB
This work is framed 8mm face and 65mm depth. Chromogenic print face-mounted 8 mm plexiglass. Backed with Dibond and C-channel hanging system + keyhole option. Edition: 1/3. Paul...
Plexiglass, C Print
Morphogenetic field - Dandelion (Pissenlit) (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Morphogenetic field - Dandelion (Pissenlit) (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Morphogenetic fields series, Janiak examines the visible manifestation of ...
C Print
Gravity - Bulle d'air 04 (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Gravity - Bulle d'air 04 (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Gravity Bulles d'air series, Janiak creates visual representations of the idea that form can...
C Print
Photon 04 (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Photon 04 (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 2/5. In his Photon series, Janiak explores the intrinsic duality of light. The photons we interpret as light exist in a ...
C Print
Untitled 109
Located in London, GB
C print. Unframed. Richard Caldicott is most well known for this earlier work series which used Tupperware containers as the subject for his photographs. As he describes : "Tupperw...
C Print
Gravity Bulle d'air 05 (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Gravity Bulle d'air 05 (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Gravity Bulles d'air series, Janiak creates visual representations of the idea that form canno...
C Print
Morphogenetic field - AB negative blood (Abstract Photography)
By Seb Janiak
Located in London, GB
Morphogenetic field - AB negative blood (Abstract Photography) Chromogenic print. Edition 1/5. In his Morphogenetic fields series, Janiak examines the visible manifestation of the ...
C Print