Abstract expressionism is a post-World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York City at the center of the art world, a role formerly filled by Paris.
The term abstract expressionism refers to a style of painting that emerged in New York City during World War II and became well known for its use of large, often non-representational canvases and color fields. Abstract expressionism developed out of the earlier abstract styles of surrealism and action painting.
The movement included artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Barnett Newman, Robert Motherwell, Clyfford Still and Mark Rothko. Other important artists associated with the movement include Philip Guston, Ad Reinhardt and Mark Tobey who were all instrumental in establishing this genre as an important part of modern art history.
Abstract expressionist style was characterized by large canvases that often used gestural brushwork and bold colors or blocks of color to create an emotional impact on the viewer. The paintings often employed gestural brushwork and bold color but also explored many different styles including surrealism, gestural abstraction and color field painting.
