Abstract Expressionism

(Paperback, Second edition)

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Description

Abstract Expressionism is the most important art movement since the Second World War. Although it is often considered a revolution in painting alone - for the images created by such leading figures as Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko remain altogether extraordinary - its radical spirit extended further, encompassing the sculpture of David Smith and Aaron Siskind's photography. Along with other key artists such as Barnett Newman and Franz Kline, these artists formed a nucleus united not just against the tensions of American society from the 1930s onwards, but also in their aim to forge diverse new visual languages. David Anfam, a noted authority on the subject, explores the movement in terms of its political implications and rich cultural contexts, bringing many fresh insights to the works themselves. Taking into account a wealth of scholarship, this new edition also has nearly one hundred works reproduced in colour.

Reviews

'A valuable addition to the literature on Abstract Expressionism' - The Burlington Magazine
'Concise, comprehensive and accessible highly recommended' - Timeless Travels

Author Bio

David Anfam is a writer, curator and leading authority on modern American art. He is the Senior Consulting Curator at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver and the Director of its Research Center. His publications include Abstract Expressionism (1990), the catalogue raisonn Mark Rothko: Works on Canvas (1998), which won the Mitchell prize in 2000, as well as studies on Anish Kapoor, Edward Kienholz and Wayne Thiebaud.