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, Sunny, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

£10,628

Painting, Abstract 2581, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting . 150 x 100 x 1.5 cm Painting . 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.6 inch

£2,150

Painting, Small Bay, Greet Helsen

Greet Helsen

Painting . 40 x 65 x 0.1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 25.6 x 0 inch

£1,290

Painting, Screens, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

£3,333

Painting, Abstract 2562, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting . 150 x 100 x 1.5 cm Painting . 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.6 inch

£2,096

Painting, Lighthouse, Greet Helsen

Greet Helsen

Painting . 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting . 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£1,290

Painting, Embouchure, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2.4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.9 inch

£133 £120

Painting, Morning Rain, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

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

£1,771

Painting, Touch, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting . 130 x 110 x 0.1 cm Painting . 51.2 x 43.3 x 0 inch

£3,655

Painting, Der Besucher, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting . 120 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

£2,028

Painting, Porch, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

£3,333

Fine Art Drawings, Winter is Gone, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Fine Art Drawings . 77 x 57 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 30.3 x 22.4 x 0 inch

£611

Fine Art Drawings, Pasión, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Fine Art Drawings . 77 x 57 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 30.3 x 22.4 x 0 inch

£611

Painting, Clarté, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2.4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.9 inch

£133

Painting, Abstract 2374, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting . 100 x 100 x 1.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.6 inch

£1,613 £1,290

Painting, Abstract 2196, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

£1,935 £1,548

Painting, Abstract 2195, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

£1,720 £1,376

Painting, Carré Rouge, Aude De Voc

Aude De Voc

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

£1,328

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

£106

Painting, Ombres, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting . 40 x 40 x 2.4 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.9 inch

£266

Painting, Resonance V, Susan L

Susan L

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

£1,436

Painting, Splash, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

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

£1,151

Painting, Spring, Greet Helsen

Greet Helsen

Painting . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Painting . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

£2,312

Painting, Back then, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting . 90 x 270 x 3 cm Painting . 35.4 x 106.3 x 1.2 inch

£6,558

Painting, Settling in II, Susan L

Susan L

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

£1,436

Painting, Endless, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting . 70 x 70 x 3 cm Painting . 27.6 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

£2,419

Painting, Visions, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

£4,838

Painting, Memento, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

£4,085

Painting, Worries, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting . 130 x 97 x 5 cm Painting . 51.2 x 38.2 x 2 inch

£5,752

Painting, Rem, Nikolaos Schizas

Rem

Nikolaos Schizas

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

£4,354

Painting, Abstract No. 87, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting . 39.5 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.6 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch

£177

Painting, No matter, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

£4,085

Painting, Echo bloom, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

£4,838

Painting, Source, Aloyzas Smilingis

Aloyzas Smilingis

Painting . 39 x 50 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.4 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

£797

Painting, Claim 142, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting . 70 x 130 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch

£1,683