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, Claim 35, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 130 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$2,811

Painting, Anja's dream, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 125 x 98 x 2 cm Painting - 49.2 x 38.6 x 0.8 inch

$3,363 $3,027

Painting, Abstract 2577, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$2,651 $2,121

Painting, Abstract 2575, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 120 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

$2,379 $1,903

Painting, Abstract 2570, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$2,651 $2,121

Painting, Abstract 2559, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 120 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

$2,311 $1,849

Fine Art Drawings, Sunset and Rain, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$210

Painting, Prophecy, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 116 x 89 x 0.1 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 0 inch

$4,079

Painting, Mum, Gaëlle Wagner

Mum

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 165 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 65 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch

$4,204

Painting, Claim 108, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

$1,874

Painting, Dream, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting - 120 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

$2,162

Painting, Enfant Soleil, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 80 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

$961 $817

Painting, Volver, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 130 x 97 x 0.1 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 0 inch

$4,419

Painting, Sparks, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$5,778

Painting, La boxeuse, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 46 x 38 x 2.4 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0.9 inch

$384

Painting, Victoria, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting - 120 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

$1,802

Painting, Imagine!, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$3,603

Painting, La tierra, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 130 x 97 x 0.1 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 0 inch

$4,419

Painting, Abstract 2359, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 120 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

$2,311 $1,849

Painting, December 23rd, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

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

$1,273

Painting, December IV, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

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

$1,009

Painting, November I, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

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

$1,105

Sculpture, La force, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Sculpture - 13 x 7 x 41 cm Sculpture - 5.1 x 2.8 x 16.1 inch

$541

Painting, Jungle flowers 7, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,069

Painting, Stripes, Aloyzas Smilingis

Aloyzas Smilingis

Painting - 81 x 60 x 0.3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

$4,444

Painting, Spheres, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,215

Painting, About fear, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

$1,802

Painting, Claim 126, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 120 x 110 x 1.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 43.3 x 0.6 inch

$2,018

Painting, Poésie, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 130 x 97 x 2 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 0.8 inch

$2,402 $2,042