A Friendly Guide to Abstract Art by Anthony Bell

Historical Overview: cubism emerged in the early 20th century, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It revolutionised European painting and sculpture by breaking objects into geometric shapes and presenting multiple perspectives simultaneously.

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Past Artists:

• Pablo Picasso

• Georges Braque

• Juan Gris

• Fernand Léger

• Robert Delaunay

Present Artists:

• Frank Stella

• David Hockney (early works)

• Damien Hirst (in some series)

• Monique Frydman

• Thomas Scheibitz

 

For further reading on Cubism visit: https://www.history.com/topics/art-history/history-of-cubism

Historical Overview: Abstract Expressionism developed in the 1940s and 1950s in New York City, making it the first American art movement to achieve international influence. It emphasises spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation.

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Past Artists:

• Jackson Pollock

• Mark Rothko

• Willem de Kooning

• Franz Kline

• Barnett Newman

Present Artists:

• Anselm Kiefer

• Julie Mehretu

• Cecily Brown

• Mark Bradford

• Gerhard Rich

 

For further reading on Abstract Expressionism visit: https://www.sothebys.com/en/art-movements/abstract-expressionism

Historical Overview: Geometric abstraction focuses on using geometric forms as the primary subject. Originating in the early 20th century, it aligns with movements such as De Stijl and Russian Constructivism.

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Past Artists:

• Kazimir Malevich

• Piet Mondrian

• Theo van Doesburg

• Wassily Kandinsky (geometric period)

• Josef Albers

Present Artists:

• Sarah Morris

• Peter Halley

• Carmen Herrera

• Günther Förg

• Marina Apollonio

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For further reading on Geometric Abstraction visit: https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/abstract-expressionism

Historical Overview: Emerging in the post-World War II era, Lyrical Abstraction is characterised by a more personal, emotional expression compared to the more formal qualities of geometric abstraction.

 

Past Artists:

• Hans Hartung

• Georges Mathieu

• Pierre Soulages

• Helen Frankenthaler

• Sam Francis

Present Artists:

Joan Snyder

Odili Donald Odita

Jacqueline Humphries

Pat Steir

Katharina Grosse

 

 

For further reading on Lyrical Abstraction visit: https://www.artinsight.com/lyrical_abstraction.html

Historical Overview: Minimalism arose in the 1960s, focusing on simplicity and purity of form. It sought to remove personal expression, emphasizing the material and the space around it.

 

Past Artists:

• Donald Judd

• Agnes Martin

• Dan Flavin

• Frank Stella

• Carl Andre

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Present Artists:

• Richard Serra

• Ellsworth Kelly

• Yayoi Kusama (minimalist period)

• Anish Kapoor

• Eva Rothschild

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For further reading on Minimalism visit: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/m/minimalism 

Historical Overview: Developed in the 1950s and 1960s, Colour Field Painting is characterised by large fields of flat, solid color spread across or stained into the canvas, creating an unbroken surface and a flat picture plane.

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Past Artists:

• Mark Rothko

• Clyfford Still

• Barnett Newman

• Helen Frankenthaler

• Morris Louis

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Present Artists:

• Sean Scully

• Etel Adnan

• Odili Donald Odita

• Katharina Grosse

• Julie Mehretu

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For further reading on Colour Field Painting visit: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/colour-field-painting

Historical Overview: Op Art, or Optical Art, emerged in the 1960s and is known for its use of optical illusions. It creates the impression of movement or warping, often through contrasting patterns and colours.

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Past Artists:

• Julian Stanczak

• Victor Vasarely

• Richard Anuszkiewicz

• Jesús Rafael Soto

• Carlos Cruz-Diez

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Present Artists:

• Julian Stanczak

• Carlos Cruz-Diez

• Regine Schumann

• Yaacov Agam

• Bridget Riley

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For further reading on Optical Art visit: https://www.sothebys.com/en/art-movements/op-art

Historical Overview: Suprematism, founded by Kazimir Malevich in Russia around 1913, focuses on basic geometric forms and the supremacy of pure artistic feeling rather than visual depiction of objects.

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Past Artists:

• Kazimir Malevich

• El Lissitzky

• Ivan Kliun

• Olga Rozanova

• Liubov Popova

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Present Artists:

• Malevich’s influence persists, though few modern artists adhere strictly to Suprematism;       aspects are seen in contemporary geometric       abstractionists.

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For further reading on Suprematism visit: https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/who-were-the-suprematists