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, La pianiste, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

$492

Painting, Abstract 2560, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$2,111 $1,900

Painting, Abstract 2559, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$2,111 $1,900

Painting, Abstract 2550, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$1,971 $1,774

Painting, Abstract 2548, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$1,971 $1,774

Painting, Abstract 2353, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$1,830 $1,647

Painting, Abstract 2368, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 91 x 61 x 1.5 cm Painting - 35.8 x 24 x 0.6 inch

$1,126 $1,013

Painting, Abstract 2273, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

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

$1,830 $1,647

Painting, Eternity, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$1,619

Painting, Graffitis, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

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

$1,167

Painting, Volver, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$4,575

Painting, So easy, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$3,308

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

$215

Painting, Abstract 2366, Alex Senchenko

Alex Senchenko

Painting - 91 x 61 x 1.5 cm Painting - 35.8 x 24 x 0.6 inch

$1,126 $1,013

Painting, Childhood, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

Painting - 160 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 63 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

$4,670

Painting, Impact 4, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

$983

Painting, Prophecy, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$4,223

Painting, Blessings, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$3,237

Painting, Timeless, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$3,237

Painting, Esa Noche, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$5,701

Painting, La tierra, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$4,575

Painting, Doubts, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$5,419

Painting, Emerge, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$3,195

Painting, Ambiguity, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 100 x 80 x 2.3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.9 inch

$3,449

Painting, Carnaval, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

Painting - 140 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 55.1 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

$2,335

Painting, Happy life, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

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

$441

Painting, Mum, Gaëlle Wagner

Mum

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$4,301

Painting, Male Female, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$4,793

Painting, Blind, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting - 77 x 56 cm Painting - 30.3 x 22 inch

$5,771

Painting, Diagram, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$3,800

Painting, All I got, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

Painting - 130 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 51.2 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

$6,264

Painting, Kristina 2, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

$983

Painting, Yayoi, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

$983

Painting, Prussian Blue 16, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

$983

Painting, Impact 3, Gina Vor

Gina Vor

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

$983