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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, Joy factory!, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

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

$6,398

Painting, Spheres, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Print, Composition, Antoni Tapies

Antoni Tapies

Print . 63 x 90 x 1 cm Print . 24.8 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch

$3,257

Painting, Calligraph, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 78.7 x 57.2 cm Painting . 31 x 22.5 inch

$3,919

Painting, LP135, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$2,326

Painting, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Painting . 60 x 50 x 0.5 cm Painting . 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch

$2,908

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Fine Art Drawings . 41 x 27 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.1 x 10.6 inch

$1,629

Painting, Diagram, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$3,919

Painting, YEN DHELL, Morko

Morko

Painting . 110 x 70 x 0.1 cm Painting . 43.3 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$1,186

Painting, NYC, Marta Zawadzka

NYC

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 90 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

$5,118

Fine Art Drawings, Styx, Laurent Anastay-Ponsolle

Laurent Anastay-Ponsolle

Fine Art Drawings . 76 x 56 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 29.9 x 22 x 0 inch

$1,105

Painting, Genèse / 82606, John3seven

John3seven

Painting . 100 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

$2,094

Painting, Friends, Caroline Vis

Caroline Vis

Painting . 90 x 200 x 2.5 cm Painting . 35.4 x 78.7 x 1 inch

$5,700

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Fine Art Drawings . 41 x 27 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.1 x 10.6 inch

$1,629

Painting, ORVEN, Morko

Morko

Painting . 137 x 65 x 0.1 cm Painting . 53.9 x 25.6 x 0 inch

$1,268

Painting, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Painting . 60 x 50 x 0.5 cm Painting . 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.2 inch

$2,908

Painting, Youth Queen, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 90 x 80 x 2.2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.9 inch

$3,141

Painting, Pink Queen, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 90 x 80 x 2.2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.9 inch

$3,141

Painting, Flower Queen, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2.2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.9 inch

$4,071

Painting, Pink Fun, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2.2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.9 inch

$4,071

Painting, The Queen, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$4,537

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

$1,396

Painting, Trapeze, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, Screens, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, La pianiste, Âme Sauvage

Âme Sauvage

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

$465

Painting, Scaffold, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, Porch, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, Slide, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, Bridge, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

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

$4,499

Painting, Storm, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

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

$2,326

Painting, Jette 3, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 76.2 x 55.8 cm Painting . 30 x 22 inch

$4,209

Painting, MOON HORE, Morko

Morko

Painting . 108.5 x 62.5 x 0.1 cm Painting . 42.7 x 24.6 x 0 inch

$1,186

Painting, Jette 2, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 76.2 x 55.8 cm Painting . 30 x 22 inch

$4,209

Painting, Jette, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 76.2 x 55.8 cm Painting . 30 x 22 inch

$4,209

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Kitty Sabatier

Kitty Sabatier

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 30 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch

$1,163

Painting, Tango, Laura Newman

Laura Newman

Painting . 76.2 x 55.8 cm Painting . 30 x 22 inch

$4,209

Painting, The Dreamer, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 81 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

$3,373

Painting, Hero, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 81 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 31.9 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$3,373

Painting, Abundance, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 130 x 180 x 2 cm Painting . 51.2 x 70.9 x 0.8 inch

$7,677

Painting, Ewa, Marta Zawadzka

Ewa

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 90 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,675