Abstract Expressionism

An American movement in the post-war period (1940s-50s). Abstract Expressionism focused on the expression of the emotional psyche of the artist. Often in monumental sizes, Abstract Expressionism can be separated into two formats - Gestural Abstraction focused more on the physicality of painting, and Color Field Painting was more concerned with large swatches of colors. It notably included Jackson Pollock, Sam Francis, and Mark Rothko.