Abstract Expressionism

Bryleigh Pierce
Dec 29, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Jan 12

Abstract Expressionism emerged from the upheaval of the inter- and post-war periods in order to redefine the purpose and language of art. Rooted in spontaneity and individual expression, the artists of this movement turned inward, privileging the subjective and the instinctive, leading to their canvases recording the dialogue between a painter’s self, their gestures and the act of creation. This approach elevated the process of creating over the final product and the resulting works were often monumental in scale, enveloping the viewer and asserting painting as an immersive, almost performative act.

Joan Mitchell, Untitled (c.1962). Oil on canvas, 228.9 x 206.3 cm. Joan Mitchell Foundation, U.S.A.

This dynamic interplay between creator and created gave rise to two broad tendencies: the gestural, or ‘action’ painting, characterised by expressive brushwork and dynamic movement, and the Colour Field approach, where expanses of hue conveyed mood and transcendence. Founded by Janet Sobel and Helen Frankenthaler respectively, women were not only influential to the movement, but its pioneers and change-makers.

Through sweeping marks, drips and layered textures, action painting captured the energy of creation and transformed the act of painting into a form of existential expression in a reflection of postwar uncertainty and the search for meaning in a fractured world. The emphasis on spontaneity and materiality marked a profound shift in the understanding of art as process rather than product. Painting was no longer an image of something, instead, it was an event in and of itself.

Similarly, the Colour Field approach aimed to entirely eliminate the emotional, mythic or religious context seen in the earlier movement, along with the highly personal and painterly or gestural application associated with it. Instead, overall consistency of form was prioritised by soaking or staining paint into the canvas, creating unbroken fields of flat, solid colour across a flat picture plane.

Abstract Expressionist women