Abstract Art and Expressionism

Grade 7 · Art · Study Guide

Explore how abstract artists broke from realistic representation to express emotion and ideas through color, shape, and form.

Abstract art is a style that does not attempt to represent reality accurately. Instead, abstract artists use shapes, colors, lines, and textures to create compositions that express ideas and emotions rather than depicting recognizable objects or scenes.

Expressionism emerged in the early 20th century, particularly in Germany, as artists sought to convey inner emotional experiences rather than outward appearances. Key Expressionist artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Edvard Munch used distorted forms and vivid colors to communicate anxiety, joy, or spiritual feeling.

Abstract Expressionism developed in New York in the 1940s and 1950s. Artists like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning moved away from any recognizable imagery altogether. Pollock's "action painting" involved dripping and flinging paint onto large canvases laid on the floor, making the physical act of painting itself part of the artwork.

Mark Rothko created large fields of soft, blurred color designed to evoke deep emotional and spiritual responses. He believed color alone could communicate profound human experiences.

Abstract art challenges viewers to interpret meaning for themselves, making it a deeply personal experience. There are no right or wrong answers — your emotional response is part of the artwork.

Key terms

Abstract art: Art that does not represent recognizable objects or scenes, instead using shapes, colors, and forms to express ideas or emotions
Expressionism: An early 20th-century art movement focused on conveying emotional experience rather than physical reality, often using distorted forms and intense colors
Abstract Expressionism: A post-World War II American art movement combining abstract art with emotional, spontaneous brushwork; emerged in New York in the 1940s–50s
Action painting: A style of painting, associated with Jackson Pollock, where the physical act of applying paint — dripping, flinging, or pouring — is central to the artwork
Composition: The arrangement of visual elements such as shapes, colors, and lines within a work of art
Color field painting: A style of abstract painting featuring large areas of solid or subtly varied color, associated with artists like Mark Rothko

Flashcards

Jackson Pollock: American Abstract Expressionist painter famous for his action painting technique of dripping and flinging paint
Mark Rothko: Abstract Expressionist painter known for large color field paintings meant to evoke deep emotional responses
Expressionism: Art movement focused on conveying emotional experience using distorted forms and vivid colors, originating in early 20th-century Germany
Abstract art: Art that does not depict recognizable reality, using visual elements to express emotion or ideas
Action painting: Painting where the physical act and movement of applying paint is central, as in Pollock's drip technique
Color field painting: Abstract style using large areas of flat or gently varied color to create emotional impact, pioneered by Rothko
Willem de Kooning: Dutch-American Abstract Expressionist painter known for bold, gestural brushstrokes
Edvard Munch: Norwegian Expressionist painter best known for 'The Scream,' depicting psychological anxiety through distorted forms

Questions

Which of the following best describes abstract art?
1. Art that realistically depicts people and landscapes
2. Art that uses shapes, colors, and forms to express ideas rather than show recognizable objects
3. Art that only uses black and white
4. Art that tells a specific story through detailed illustration
Show answer
Answer: Art that uses shapes, colors, and forms to express ideas rather than show recognizable objects
Abstract art uses non-representational elements like shapes and colors to express ideas rather than depict real objects.
Jackson Pollock's action painting technique involved laying the canvas on the floor and dripping or flinging paint onto it.
Show answer
Answer: True
Pollock laid his canvases on the floor and walked around them, dripping or flinging paint — a technique central to his 'action painting' style.
Abstract Expressionism primarily developed in which city during the 1940s and 1950s?
1. Paris
2. Berlin
3. New York
4. London
Show answer
Answer: New York
Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York City after World War II, making it the first major American art movement to gain international influence.
Mark Rothko is known for creating large fields of soft, blurred _______ designed to evoke emotional and spiritual responses.
Show answer
Answer: color
Rothko believed color alone could communicate deep human emotions and spiritual experiences, which is why his paintings feature vast, glowing color fields.
Expressionism as an art movement started in the United States in the 1940s.
Show answer
Answer: False
Expressionism originated in Germany in the early 20th century, not in the United States. Abstract Expressionism later developed in the U.S. in the 1940s.

Get a personalized course on Abstract Art and Expressionism built around your child.