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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, Placebo, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 90 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

$2,659

Painting, New Born, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 97 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch

$4,231

Painting, Shambala 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 100 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$2,599

Painting, Sunny, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 180 x 300 x 0.1 cm Painting - 70.9 x 118.1 x 0 inch

$14,505

Painting, Emerge, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 120 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$3,143 $2,986

Painting, Krabi 4, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 100 x 200 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 78.7 x 0 inch

$2,599

Painting, Winter flowers, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 100 x 200 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 78.7 x 0 inch

$2,961

Painting, Botany by M.Y., Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 150 x 90 x 1 cm Painting - 59.1 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch

$1,680

Painting, Regatta 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 100 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch

$1,801

Painting, No matter, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 120 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

$5,238

Painting, Echo bloom, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 114 x 146 x 1 cm Painting - 44.9 x 57.5 x 0.4 inch

$6,203

Painting, Visions, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 114 x 146 x 1 cm Painting - 44.9 x 57.5 x 0.4 inch

$6,203

Painting, Memento, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 120 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

$5,238

Painting, Emergence, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 90 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

$3,722

Painting, Blessings, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 100 x 80 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0 inch

$3,171

Painting, Timeless, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 100 x 80 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0 inch

$3,171

Painting, All I got, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 130 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 51.2 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

$6,134

Painting, Esa Noche, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 146 x 114 x 0.1 cm Painting - 57.5 x 44.9 x 0 inch

$5,583

Painting, Rosentor, Greet Helsen

Greet Helsen

Painting - 40 x 40 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 inch

$1,379

Painting, Lumenis 43, Tracey Adams

Tracey Adams

Painting - 61 x 61 cm Painting - 24 x 24 inch

$3,722

Painting, Liquide, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 65 x 92 x 2.4 cm Painting - 25.6 x 36.2 x 0.9 inch

$907 $816

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