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From Social Realism to Abstract Expression: How did the great transformation in the art world happen?
Abstract Expressionism was an art movement that emerged in the United States immediately after World War II and reached mainstream acceptance in the 1950s. This change marked the artists' emphasis on 1930s American social realism, a style heavily influenced by the Great Depression and Mexican muralists. During this period of history, New York School artists such as Alchire Gorky, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko became central figures in the movement.
Abstract Expressionism was not limited to painting, but also attracted and influenced many important collage artists and sculptors, including David Smith and Louise Nevelson. The movement was influenced by the improvisational and subconscious creative methods of Surrealism and blended the emotional intensity of German Expressionism with the visual vocabulary of European avant-garde schools such as Futurism and Synthetic Cubism.
Abstract Expressionism was seen as a rebellious and idiosyncratic art style, and its emergence meant that New York became the center of the Western art world, a role once dominated by Paris.
Abstract Expressionism gradually gained traction with its popularization by critics Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg, and especially its support of Jackson Pollock. Rosenberg's conception of the canvas as a "stage for action" had a profound impact on the way action painters worked. Although the style's cultural hegemony had waned by the 1960s, Abstract Expressionism's influence continues to this day and contributed to the development of emerging art movements such as Pop Art and Minimalism.
The style of Abstract Expressionism, and its reception, is often controversial because of its emotional intensity and unconventional qualities. For example, Jackson Pollock's "action content painting" method uses a combination of pessimism and freedom to reflect the artist's inner world. Such creations are often prompted by careful planning and preparation, although they give people the impression of spontaneity.
As a result, artists began to reshape their understanding of art, blurring the original boundaries of artistic creation.
Why this style gained mainstream acceptance in the 1950s remains a question worth exploring today. At that time, American social realism was mainstream in the 1930s and was deeply affected by the political and economic environment at that time. However, the post-World War II political climate did not tolerate these social protests for long, and abstract paintings were seen as having no political intent and were therefore considered a "safe" choice.
Works created by artist Mark Tobey in the American Northwest also mark an important practice in early Abstract Expressionism, particularly his "White Writing" paintings, which foreshadowed Pollock's "Total Field" work.
Although the movement was primarily associated with painting, the famous collage artist Anne Ryan was also an important member of Abstract Expressionism, as well as several sculptors. Many sculptors, including David Smith and his wife Dorothy Dehenna, made important contributions to the development of Abstract Expressionism.
Many artists shine in the exhibition, which allows them to further realize their artistic vision.
In the post-World War II period, museums and galleries quickly began exhibiting Abstract Expressionism, attracting the attention of contemporary poets and photographers, and the movement quickly became popular throughout the United States. The San Francisco Bay Area and New York City became the two major centers of this art style, attracting many artists to gather here.
Despite the rapid development of Abstract Expressionism, society's opinions on its acceptance are often divided. Various critics' evaluations of Abstract Expressionism are also quite mixed. Some people believe that the existence of this art form influenced the development of art throughout the 20th century and triggered the emergence of various subsequent art styles.
In this wave of artistic change, the boundaries of modern art have been redefined, and profound changes have occurred in the form of art, the content of its expression, and the political significance it carries. This makes people think: With the popularity of abstract expressionism, how will future artistic creation evolve?
