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, LXXVII, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting . 50 x 70 x 1.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.6 inch

£788

Painting, Kanelle, Sébastien Allart

Sébastien Allart

Painting . 100 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.9 x 1 inch

£2,480

Painting, Day & Night 4, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

£1,382

Painting, Intimacy, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

Painting . 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

£1,151

Painting, Geisha, Newel Hunter

Newel Hunter

Painting . 61 x 45.7 x 0.8 cm Painting . 24 x 18 x 0.3 inch

£1,866

Painting, Sakura diptych, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting . 200 x 140 x 1 cm Painting . 78.7 x 55.1 x 0.4 inch

£2,559

Painting, Megapolis 6, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

£2,436

Painting, Erosion II, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Painting . 40 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£709

Painting, Golden waterefall, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

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

£2,639

Painting, Claim 174, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

£1,151

Painting, Claim 175, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

£1,151

Painting, Claim 176, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

£1,151

Painting, Claim 177, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

£1,151

Painting, Floating Light, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

£2,480

Painting, Translucide, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Painting . 40 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

£2,480

Painting, Flamme bleue, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

£1,328

Painting, Rio, Bald

Rio

Bald

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

£1,612

Painting, Morning Fire, Nestor Toro

Nestor Toro

Painting . 50.8 x 40.6 x 1.8 cm Painting . 20 x 16 x 0.7 inch

£827

Painting, Roundabout, Kerry Horne

Kerry Horne

Painting . 120 x 140 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 55.1 x 1.2 inch

£5,491

Painting, Prussian Blue 12, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 30 x 24 x 0.3 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch

£177

Painting, Arrogance, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting . 120 x 40 x 4 cm Painting . 47.2 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

£700

Painting, Phantasy, Aloyzas Smilingis

Aloyzas Smilingis

Painting . 130 x 150 x 2 cm Painting . 51.2 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

£6,642

Painting, About fear, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

£1,328

Painting, Alchemy, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

£2,214

Painting, Meadow 30, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

£2,657

Painting, Aqua 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

£2,568

Painting, Pastel Dreams 2, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 80 x 60 x 1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£709

Painting, Aqua 3, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

£709

Painting, Supernova No. 9, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

£709

Painting, Suspension, Victoria Horkan

Victoria Horkan

Painting . 100 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

£3,441

Painting, Lunettes, Apo

Apo

Painting . 14.8 x 21 x 0.05 cm Painting . 5.8 x 8.3 x 0 inch

£89

Painting, Horizon 3, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 30 x 24 x 0.3 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.1 inch

£177

Painting, Horizon 2, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 30 x 24 x 0.4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.2 inch

£177

Painting, Claim 164, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting . 140 x 240 x 2 cm Painting . 55.1 x 94.5 x 0.8 inch

£9,653

Painting, Cuba Libre, Cosmos

Cosmos

Painting . 140 x 200 x 3.5 cm Painting . 55.1 x 78.7 x 1.4 inch

£10,539

Painting, Pixels, Tic

Tic

Painting . 140 x 140 x 0.1 cm Painting . 55.1 x 55.1 x 0 inch

£1,594

Painting, Coloration, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

Painting . 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

£3,100

Painting, Plaisir, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

£2,214

Painting, Rider, Newel Hunter

Newel Hunter

Painting . 61 x 45.7 x 0.3 cm Painting . 24 x 18 x 0.1 inch

£1,785