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, Waves, Juliana Haggoo

Juliana Haggoo

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

$2,896

Painting, Devotion, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

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

$6,033

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, Expansion, Eliana Sá

Eliana Sá

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

$1,568

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, Sunny, Gaëlle Wagner

Gaëlle Wagner

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

$14,478

Painting, Echo bloom, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$6,159

Painting, Visions, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$6,159

Painting, Claim 88, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

$1,593

Painting, Claim 101, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 100 x 140 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 55.1 x 0.8 inch

$2,413

Painting, Sky symphony 1, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

Painting - 50 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

$820

Painting, Style flash, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

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

$386

Painting, Claim 102, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 100 x 150 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

$2,823

Painting, Por Favor, Nikolaos Schizas

Nikolaos Schizas

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

$4,722

Painting, Claim 107, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 90 x 130 x 1.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 51.2 x 0.6 inch

$1,882

Painting, Claim 82, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

$2,027

Painting, Confrontation 3, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 199.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 1 inch

$1,250

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

$1,882

Painting, ADN privé, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 50 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

$1,038

Painting, Claim 99, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 100 x 130 x 1.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 51.2 x 0.6 inch

$2,027

Painting, Claim 81, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 100 x 140 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 55.1 x 0.4 inch

$2,413

Painting, Patchwork 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 79 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 31.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch

$1,388

Painting, Journeys III, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

Painting - 73 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$2,123

Painting, Journeys IV, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

Painting - 73 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$2,123

Painting, Confrontation 3, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,508

Painting, Strangers 7, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$2,594

Painting, Spartacus, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,991

Painting, Krabi by M.Y., Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 95 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,749

Painting, RE18, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

Painting - 90 x 120 x 1.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 47.2 x 0.6 inch

$2,654

Painting, Claim 121, Mark Hellbusch

Mark Hellbusch

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

$2,823

Painting, SDO-7, H-Nguyen

H-Nguyen

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

$712

Painting, Portal, Victoria Horkan

Victoria Horkan

Painting - 100 x 150 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 1.6 inch

$6,707

Painting, Alchemy 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,798

Painting, Space 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 80 x 200 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,146

Painting, Two Stars, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,991

Painting, Flowers 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

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

$1,629

Painting, In the city, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting - 40 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

$1,303

Painting, Theorem 2, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting - 100.1 x 249.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 98.4 x 1 inch

$2,890