Abstract Expressionism

Definition

Abstract Expressionism

An art movement that developed in New York in the 1940s and led to the formation of the New York School, eventually becoming a dominant influence in Western painting by the 1950s. The movement included artists working across styles that depicted unrealistic and abstract forms, characterised by spontaneous expression.

FILED UNDER

Modern & Contemporary Art

Abstract Expressionism%newline%An art movement that developed in New York in the 1940s and led to the formation of the New York School, eventually becoming a dominant influence in Western painting by the 1950s. The movement included artists working across styles that depicted unrealistic and abstract forms, characterised by spontaneous expression.

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Abstract Expressionism”. Accessed September 16, 2025. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abstract-expressionism/
MLA	“Abstract Expressionism.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abstract-expressionism/. Accessed 16, September, 2025.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Abstract Expressionism. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/abstract-expressionism/. (Accessed: 16, September, 2025)