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, City 4, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$3,035

Painting, Devotion, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting - 100 x 210 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 82.7 x 0.8 inch

$6,071

Painting, Expansion, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

Painting - 89 x 116 x 2 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,578

Painting, Ahmar, Said Ouarzaz

Said Ouarzaz

Painting - 36 x 40 x 3 cm Painting - 14.2 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

$959

Fine Art Drawings, Silent wave, Mahabbeh Mowakket

Mahabbeh Mowakket

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$900

Painting, Abstract 2533, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

$2,097 $1,678

Painting, Abstract 2534, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

$2,097 $1,678

Painting, The Fire, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$7,892

Painting, Abstract 2196, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 90 x 180 x 4 cm Painting - 35.4 x 70.9 x 1.6 inch

$2,237 $1,790

Painting, Graphique, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 30 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

$546

Painting, Monde rouge, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 40 x 50 x 2.4 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.9 inch

$425

Painting, Le Brouillon, Aude De Voc

Aude De Voc

Painting - 100 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

$2,914

Painting, Regatta 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,809

Painting, Big heart, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 114 x 146 x 2 cm Painting - 44.9 x 57.5 x 0.8 inch

$4,675

Painting, Num — 052, Damien Berrard

Damien Berrard

Painting - 97 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1 inch

$3,035

Painting, Screens, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting - 55.9 x 76.2 cm Painting - 22 x 30 inch

$4,335

Painting, Scaffold, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting - 55.9 x 76.2 cm Painting - 22 x 30 inch

$4,335

Painting, Mix, Max Yaskin

Mix

Max Yaskin

Painting - 90 x 155 x 1 cm Painting - 35.4 x 61 x 0.4 inch

$911

Painting, Geometry 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$789

Painting, Splashes 14, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$2,003

Painting, Num — 072, Damien Berrard

Damien Berrard

Painting - 81 x 116 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.9 x 45.7 x 1 inch

$4,007

Painting, Alchemy 3, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,918

Painting, Expression 12, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 90 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 35.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,809

Painting, Claim 33, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 83 x 112 x 2 cm Painting - 32.7 x 44.1 x 0.8 inch

$1,275

Painting, Patchwork 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 79 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 31.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch

$1,396

Painting, Samurai, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,761 $1,408

Painting, Meadow 34, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,918

Painting, Celebrity, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,639

Painting, Autumn motion, Nestor Toro

Nestor Toro

Painting - 61 x 121.9 x 1.8 cm Painting - 24 x 48 x 0.7 inch

$2,000

Fine Art Drawings, Miro et moi, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 39 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 15.4 x 0.4 inch

$729

Painting, High & Dry, Newel Hunter

Newel Hunter

Painting - 45.7 x 61 x 0.5 cm Painting - 18 x 24 x 0.2 inch

$1,700

Painting, Space 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 80 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,153

Painting, Leaf Fall, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 90 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 35.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,518

Painting, Splashes 13, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$2,003

Painting, Wild Flowers 5, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$2,125

Painting, Space 4, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,882