Abstract Expressionism in EuropeArt is a state of Plastic Consciousness. Federico von BorstelEverything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. ConfuciusI hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. ConfuciusPierre SoulagesGeorges MathieuNicolas de StaelAntoni TapiesAlberto BurriLucio FontanaHans HartungJean FautrierWolsHenri MichauxJean-Paul RiopelleOptional Materials: Sketchbook, 11 in. x 14 in, 27.9 x 35.6 cm, 60 lb, 89 g/m2All graphite pencils, soft, Pencil, 2B. Kept sharp, Pencil SharpenerPen, bold and medium, black. Straight edge, ruler, triangleErasers, Color pencils, Prismacolor, markers or other, BrushThis course is part of our Contemporary Art Courses which include: IntroductionPrecedentsAbstract ExpressionismAbstract Expressionism in EuropePost-Painterly AbstractionTransition ArtistsMinimalismOp ArtPop ArtCollage and AssemblageInstallation ArtPerformance, Environments and HappeningsEarth ArtElectronic and Video ArtHyper RealismIssue Based ArtSensorial ArtThe first generation of Abstract Expressionism flourished between 1943 and the mid-1950s. The movement effectively shifted the art worlds focus from Europe (specifically Paris) to New York in the postwar years. The paintings were seen widely in traveling exhibitions and through publications. In the wake of Abstract Expressionism, new generations of artistsboth American and Europeanwere profoundly marked by the breakthroughs made by the first generation, and went on to create their own important expressions based on, but not imitative of, those who forged the way. Soulages has said, “My instrument is not black but the light reflected from the black. Naming his own practice Outrenoir, (Beyond Black) the paintings he produces are known for their endless black depth, created by playing with the light reflected off of the texture of the paint.
