Gestural abstraction

The phrase gestural abstraction refers to a way of making art - not what necessarily gets painted, but how it does.  By abandoning the application of paint to a surface in a controlled and premeditated way, gestural painters apply paint intuitively, physically, by dripping, splattering, pouring, smearing or throwing it at the surface itself. What matters to the gestural abstraction painters then isn't the paint but the physicality, honesty, intuition and deep personal expression. This in turn leads to the artist abandoning a focus on subject matter, turning inward for inspiration. As such, the act of painting itself becomes the subject. Willem de Kooning, Lee Krasner and Franz Kline led this movement from the 1940s onwards, with Jackson Pollock undoubtedly being the most notable with his pierced paint tins, dripping across the surface of Number 1A, 1948 (1948).  Abstract gestural painters explore their deepest emotions and they express that part of themselves during the physical act of painting. Pollock would later note that he had no fears about making changes to a painting, because, he said, the work has a life of its own. The painting itself is a relic of the action, it is a recording of the gestures made. Still influencing artists today, the likes of Caroline Vis and Sebastien Desnos (s3b desnos) both reference Pollock in their work, either echoing the expression of emotion or indeed as Desnos puts it, “action painting."

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Painting, Heart V, Stanislav Bojankov

Stanislav Bojankov

Painting - 29 x 29 x 2 cm Painting - 11.4 x 11.4 x 0.8 inch

$206

Painting, Full house, Newel Hunter

Newel Hunter

Painting - 76.2 x 101.6 x 2 cm Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.8 inch

$4,550

Painting, Looking Up, Newel Hunter

Newel Hunter

Painting - 101.6 x 76.2 x 3.8 cm Painting - 40 x 30 x 1.5 inch

$4,600

Print, Sans titre 89, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Print - 16 x 16 x 1 cm Print - 6.3 x 6.3 x 0.4 inch

$146

Painting, In Between, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$2,668

Painting, Toucans, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting - 120 x 160 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 63 x 0.8 inch

$5,033

Painting, Sillage, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 81 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 31.9 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

$509

Painting, Abstract art, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 80 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

$388

Painting, Up the Creek, Nestor Toro

Nestor Toro

Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 1.8 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 0.7 inch

$4,000

Painting, Inserted.0323, Kris Haas

Kris Haas

Painting - 35.6 x 27.9 x 1.5 cm Painting - 14 x 11 x 0.6 inch

$350

Painting, Mr Sanchez, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 30 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

$728

Print, Brasilia, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Print - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Print - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

$364

Painting, Red Power, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting - 170 x 130 x 2 cm Painting - 66.9 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch

$8,490

Painting, Picsouland, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 30 x 90 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 35.4 x 1.6 inch

$958

Print, Pink town, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Print - 61 x 61 x 0.2 cm Print - 24 x 24 x 0.1 inch

$449

Painting, Sunrise 22, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting - 160 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 63 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$3,275

Painting, Confidence, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting - 160 x 250 x 3 cm Painting - 63 x 98.4 x 1.2 inch

$14,554

Painting, Rio, Bald

Rio

Bald

Painting - 120 x 39.5 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 15.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,207

Painting, Elements n°14, Alice Maier

Alice Maier

Painting - 158 x 103 x 0.5 cm Painting - 62.2 x 40.6 x 0.2 inch

$1,079

Painting, Hope, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,455

Painting, Brainstorming, Molok

Molok

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$3,153

Painting, Splash, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

$1,577

Painting, Acid letter, Allias

Allias

Painting - 112 x 84 x 3 cm Painting - 44.1 x 33.1 x 1.2 inch

$1,031

Painting, Ailleurs n°127, Molok

Molok

Painting - 100 x 100 x 5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch

$5,458

Painting, Neon III, Paulo Gnecco

Paulo Gnecco

Painting - 60 x 45 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

$760

Painting, Helicoco HC5, Marcel Speet

Marcel Speet

Painting - 80 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$928

Painting, Acudilé, Allias

Allias

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$424

Painting, Sex Party 10, VeraD

VeraD

Painting - 20 x 20 x 0.5 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch

$212

Painting, Blue Velvet, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1 inch

Sold

Painting, Xul, Gaëlle Wagner

Xul

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 120 x 120 x 4.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.8 inch

Sold