How Was Abstract Expressionism Different From Pop Art?

Art|Pop Art

Abstract Expressionism is an art movement that originated in the United States in the 1940s and 50s. The movement is characterized by its emphasis on non-representational forms of painting, sculpture, and other artistic mediums. The most prominent figures associated with the movement include Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman.

The primary goal of Abstract Expressionism was to create art that was not representational but instead expressed emotions or ideas through abstract forms. This meant that paintings often had no clear subject matter or narrative, with artists focusing instead on creating shapes and colors that conveyed their feelings or thoughts. This focus on abstraction resulted in works of art characterized by bold colors and dynamic brushstrokes.

Pop Art is another art movement that emerged in the 1950s and 60s in Britain and America. Unlike Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art focused on representing popular culture icons such as celebrities, comic book characters, advertisements, and everyday objects. Pop Art was characterized by bright colors and often used techniques from commercial printing such as screen printing to create their works of art.

The primary difference between Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art is their respective approaches to creating art. While Abstract Expressionism focused on conveying emotions through abstract shapes and colors, Pop Art used recognizable images from popular culture to make commentary about society or to simply celebrate the mundane aspects of everyday life.

Conclusion:

Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art are two very different art movements which were both influential during their respective periods of popularity in the mid-20th century. While Abstract Expressionism focused on non-representational forms of painting to convey emotions or ideas, Pop Art used recognizable images from popular culture to make statements about society or simply celebrate everyday life.