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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Design, 2091 Pixels, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Design - 130 x 269 x 3 cm Design - 51.2 x 105.9 x 1.2 inch

$7,134

Painting, Paysage rosé, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

Painting - 75 x 115 cm Painting - 29.5 x 45.3 inch

$1,693

Painting, City 4, Yichao Sun

Yichao Sun

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

$3,023

Painting, Sunset flowers, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,995

Painting, LXXVII, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

$1,076

Painting, Waves, Juliana Haggoo

Juliana Haggoo

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

$2,902

Painting, Phantasy, Aloyzas Smilingis

Aloyzas Smilingis

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

$9,068

Painting, Cuba Libre, Cosmos

Cosmos

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

$14,389

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, Devotion, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

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

$6,046

Sculpture, Dépouillé, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Sculpture - 50 x 73 x 2 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

$677

Fine Art Drawings, #11082022, Michael Verlangieri

Michael Verlangieri

Fine Art Drawings - 76.2 x 111.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 44 x 0.1 inch

$7,965

Painting, Rorschach, Bald

Bald

Painting - 46 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 24 x 0.8 inch

$1,330 $1,131

Fine Art Drawings, Burnout, Stanislav Bojankov

Stanislav Bojankov

Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 80 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0 inch

$363

Painting, Expansion, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

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

$1,572

Painting, La plaza, Eusebio Lopez

Eusebio Lopez

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

$919

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, Bleu intense, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 100 x 150 x 0.1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0 inch

$1,572

Painting, The Fire, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$7,859

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

Painting, Pleasure party, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 54 x 73 x 2.4 cm Painting - 21.3 x 28.7 x 0.9 inch

$665 $486

Painting, Entremêlés, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 50 x 100 x 2.4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 39.4 x 0.9 inch

$907

Painting, Water dynamic, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 81 x 100 x 2.4 cm Painting - 31.9 x 39.4 x 0.9 inch

$1,209

Painting, Street art, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 73 x 100 x 2.4 cm Painting - 28.7 x 39.4 x 0.9 inch

$1,149 $977

Painting, Nuit froide, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 40 x 50 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

$218

Design, 527 Pixels, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Design - 119 x 269 x 3 cm Design - 46.9 x 105.9 x 1.2 inch

$7,134

Painting, Opposition, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$103

Painting, Obstacles, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 30 x 40 x 0.3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$103

Painting, Art galactique, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

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

$363 $261

Painting, Bang !, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$1,935