Figural and Abstract Expressionism Two Expressionist movements in Germany Die Br cke or The Bridge Kirchner is founding member in 1905 Nietzsche believed there should be a superhero to go against the bourgeoisie Figural Expressionism figurative draws some abstractionism Expression of emotion through color choice Der Blaue Reiter or The Blue Rider From 1911 to 1914 founded by Kandinsky and inspired by The Bridge more spiritual believed in connection of colors shapes and forms to music and sound Abstract Expressionism In Russia abstractionism promoted by intellectuals in literary and visual art regarded as universal b c no background knowledge needed to understand projects WWII women out in professional and industrial spheres first phase of liberation Art capital of the world shifts from Paris to New York after WWII Wassily Kandinsky Improvisation 28 1912 inspired by musical composition title is a musical term horizon in upper right corner difficult to identify forms interested in suggesting provoking emotional response that is as abstract as music Jackson Pollock Number 1 Lavender Mist 1950 influence of American Southwest with Native American culture Pollock dripped paint in rhythmic motion with spiritual rationale Abstract Expressionism drew from automatic techniques of Surrealism idea to channel will of universe action painting captures business of modern world canvas is huge captures viewer in the chaos used automotive paints very lustrous Willem de Kooning Woman I 1950 1952 figural expressionism can recognize human form inspired by cigarette ad of 1950s sexually powerful portrayal of woman women liberated by WWII were out in the professional and industrial spheres large breasts bared teeth colors placed side by side are harsh grating do not transition or match well paint on surface no depth or space smears of paints applied with brushstroke and dripping technique allowed some paint to drip down pure visceral response no spiritual meaning here Francis Bacon Study After Vel zquez s Portrait of Pope Innocent X 1953 analysis of an interesting subject not necessarily moralizing distorted version of the pope pope as human being is trapped in social construct in his own image of power can t truly control his domain pope s face contorted in scream figure in enclosure smeared first layer of paint downward Helen Frankenthaler The Bay 1963 fields of color color soaks in relates to visual experience of landscape extremely innovative in a technical sense paint spilled canvas rolled and not primed layers of lead white and linseed oil so that Mark Rothko No 14 1960 cosmic balance reflected in sizes shapes and proportions idea that viewer could feel artist s mood transmitted through painting rectangles of color color is soft not uniform modulation form of color field painting yet not hard edge abstraction abstract formalism involves arranging forms for aesthetic appeal Jasper Johns Target with Four Faces 1955 wanted to solve problem of flatness without lying to the viewer by way of illusionistic techniques target on 2D surface like an actual target large has weight encaustic paint creates rough textured surface pigment bound with melted wax very durable used by ancient Romans and Egyptians newspaper bits underneath paint add to texture includes a flap that can cover the wooden box openings containing plaster faces Jasper Johns Target with Plaster Casts 1955 encaustic paint almost appears to be a relief sculpture Jasper Johns Three Flags 1958 encaustic paint on canvas power of intentionality identifiable familiar content Ellsworth Kelly Red Blue Green 1963 formal arrangements of pure form pure objective form no emotion hard edge abstraction clearly bound fields of color reaction to Abstract Expressionism but NOT pop art color interaction color changes because of proximity to another colors work against each other slight imbalance Mach band phenomenon shapes appear to move back forward free hand