Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism are two art movements that tell stories of human emotions and psyche. Both strayed from realism and prioritized subjectivity above all else.
Expressionism emerged in Germany in the early 20th century. The rise of psychoanalysis influenced artists to explore psychological realities and subjective experiences in their art. Two groups from Dresden and Munich defined the style of Expressionist art. Die Brücke (The Bridge), led by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, expressed emotional sensitivity to German society at the time. These artists primarily painted human figures. They used intense colors, distorted forms, and exaggerated lines to convey intense and often dark themes, such as anger, alienation, and sadness. Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Horse), founded by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, focused on the spiritual. They leaned toward a more lyrical aesthetic with organic shapes and softer edges, mostly depicting animals and nature. Caught between the political conflicts of the time period, these two groups disbanded; however, their philosophies became a cornerstone of Abstract Expressionism.
Abstract Expressionism took root in New York in the 1940s. It drew from Expressionist ideas but abandoned recognizable forms entirely. Artists used gestural marking and non-objective imagery to express emotions and explore the unconscious mind. Two main approaches defined the style: action painting and color field painting. Action painting involves expressive paint handling. Like Jackson Pollock’s technique of pouring and flicking paint, the composition emerges from the artist’s physical movements rather than a conceptualized design. Color field painters like Mark Rothko focused on large areas of flat, solid color. By the 1950s, Abstract Expressionism lost dominance as Pop Art emerged.
