Glossary

Introduction

Abstract Expressionism emerged in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s as a decisive shift in modern art. Rather than depicting the visible world, artists turned inward-focusing on emotion, movement, and the act of painting itself.

Painters such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning redefined what painting could be, working on a scale and with an intensity that placed the viewer directly in front of the experience.

This glossary brings together the key terms (in alphabetical order) used to describe the movement, combining clear definitions with the language commonly used in contemporary art writing.

Glossary of Terms

Abstract Expressionism

A post-war art movement centred on large-scale, non-representational painting. It emphasises freedom, gesture, and emotional intensity, shifting attention from subject matter to the experience of the work itself.

Abstract Expressionist Art

A broad term for artworks created within this movement, often characterised by bold mark-making, expansive scale, and a focus on process over image.

Abstraction

A way of working that moves away from realistic depiction. Forms may be simplified, distorted, or removed entirely, allowing colour, line, and composition to take precedence.

Action Painting - A style of abstract expressionism emphasizing the physical act of painting itself, with visible brushstrokes, drips, and gestural marks. Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning were primary practitioners of this energetic, improvisational approach.

Associated with: Jackson Pollock

Automatism

A method of working spontaneously, without a fixed plan. The aim is to bypass conscious control and allow instinct or the subconscious to guide the process.

Associated with: Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman

All-Over Composition

A way of structuring a painting so that no single area dominates. The surface is treated as a continuous field, encouraging the viewer’s eye to move across the entire canvas.

California School - A regional variant of Abstract Expressionism that emerged in the Bay Area and Los Angeles during the 1940s-1950s, featuring artists like Richard Diebenkorn, David Park, and Clyfford Still. This group developed distinctive approaches to gestural abstraction often influenced by the Pacific Coast landscape and light.

Colour Field Painting

A quieter, more meditative direction within Abstract Expressionism. Large areas of colour are used to create mood, space, and emotional resonance rather than visible gesture.

Contemporary Abstract Expressionism - Current artistic practice that draws upon and reinterprets Abstract Expressionist principles, often incorporating contemporary materials, scales, and conceptual approaches while maintaining the movement's emphasis on gestural expression and emotional authenticity. This ongoing tradition demonstrates the continued relevance of Abstract Expressionist philosophy in 21st-century creation of art.

Drip Painting - Jackson Pollock's revolutionary technique of applying paint to canvas laid on the floor, allowing paint to drip and flow in continuous linear patterns. This method eliminated traditional brushwork and created unprecedented all-over compositions.

Gestural Abstraction - Abstract painting emphasizing the artist's physical gesture and emotional expression through visible brushstrokes and paint application. This approach values the spontaneous recording of the artist's creative process and psychological state.

Gesture

The visible trace of the artist’s movement. Whether quick and aggressive or slow and controlled, gesture gives the work its sense of energy and presence.

Hard-edge Abstract Expressionism - A variant emphasizing clean geometric forms and precise colour relationships rather than gestural brushwork. Artists like Ad Reinhardt developed this more controlled approach within the broader Abstract Expressionist movement.

Intuitive Painting - A contemporary approach to abstract painting that emphasizes spontaneous, instinctual creation without predetermined plans or rational control, directly rooted in Abstract Expressionist principles. This method prioritizes emotional authenticity and personal expression over technical perfection, allowing the painting process itself to guide artistic decisions.

Mark-Making

The lines, textures, and surfaces created through the artist’s tools and techniques. In Abstract Expressionism, mark-making is often direct and highly individual.

Non-Objective Art

Art that has no reference to the visible world. Unlike abstraction derived from real subjects, non-objective work is built entirely from visual elements such as colour and form.

Psychic Automatism

An extension of automatism that focuses specifically on expressing thoughts and emotions directly from the unconscious mind.

Drip Technique

A method of applying paint by dripping or pouring it onto the canvas, often with the canvas laid flat. The result is shaped by movement, gravity, and timing.

Process-Based Art

An approach where the act of making the work is as important as the finished piece. The process itself becomes part of the meaning.

Flatness

An emphasis on the surface of the canvas as a flat object, rather than an illusion of depth. This idea became central to modern painting.

Materiality

The physical presence of paint—its weight, texture, and surface—and how these qualities contribute to the overall impact of the work.

Scale (Monumentality)

Many Abstract Expressionist works are large in scale, designed to surround or confront the viewer. This sense of size plays a key role in how the work is experienced.

Emotional Expression

At the core of the movement is the idea that painting can communicate feeling directly—without relying on images or narrative.

The Sublime

A term used to describe an overwhelming or deeply moving experience. In this context, it often relates to large works that evoke awe, stillness, or intensity.

Existentialism

A philosophical influence on the movement, centred on individual experience, freedom, and the search for meaning in a changing world.

New York School

A loose group of artists working in New York in the mid-20th century who played a central role in the development of Abstract Expressionism.

Gestural Abstraction

A style that emphasises movement and expressive brushwork, often associated with action painting.

Lyrical Abstraction

A more fluid and atmospheric approach to abstraction, focusing on subtle colour relationships and personal expression.

Painterly - A quality in painting that emphasizes the medium itself through visible brushstrokes, texture, and the physical properties of paint. Abstract Expressionists like de Kooning celebrated painterly qualities as essential to artistic expression.

Picture Plane - The flat surface of the canvas, which Abstract Expressionists often emphasized rather than creating illusionistic depth. Artists explored the tension between the physical reality of the flat surface and the spatial implications of their marks.

Post-Painterly Abstraction - A term coined by critic Clement Greenberg in 1964 to describe abstract painting that moved beyond the gestural, emotional qualities of Abstract Expressionism toward cleaner, more impersonal approaches. This development included Color Field painters like Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland who were influenced by Helen Frankenthaler's stain technique.

Psychological Automatism - A technique borrowed from Surrealism involving spontaneous, unconscious creation to bypass rational control and access deeper creative impulses. Many Abstract Expressionists used automatic techniques to generate authentic personal expression.

Second Generation Abstract Expressionism - Artists who emerged in the 1950s and continued developing Abstract Expressionist principles, including Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, and Grace Hartigan. This generation refined and expanded the movement's techniques while maintaining its emphasis on personal expression and large-scale abstraction.

Surface Tension - The visual and physical relationship between painted marks and the canvas surface, often explored by Abstract Expressionists. Artists investigated how paint could simultaneously describe depth and emphasize the material reality of the picture plane.

Tachisme

A European style closely related to Abstract Expressionism, known for spontaneous marks and painterly surfaces.

Zip Painting - Barnett Newman's signature compositional device consisting of vertical bands or "zips" of contrasting colour that divide large colour fields. These vertical elements created dramatic spatial effects and spiritual metaphors within Newman's Abstract Expressionist works.

Key Artists

Jackson Pollock

Pollock transformed painting into a physical act, using dripping and pouring techniques to create complex, all-over compositions.

Mark Rothko

Rothko’s large colour field paintings are designed to be experienced slowly, inviting reflection and emotional depth.

Willem de Kooning

De Kooning combined abstraction with figuration, creating works that feel both controlled and unpredictable.

Barnett Newman

Known for his expansive colour fields interrupted by vertical lines, Newman explored ideas of space and the sublime.

Clyfford Still

Still developed a powerful visual language of jagged forms and contrasting colours, conveying intensity and depth.

Lee Krasner

Krasner’s work is structured yet expressive, playing a vital role in shaping the movement.

Franz Kline

Kline is recognised for his bold, black-and-white compositions that emphasise structure and gesture.

Joan Mitchell

Mitchell created layered, expressive paintings often inspired by memory and landscape.

Helen  Frankenthaler- American artist (1928-2011) who was a pioneering figure in Abstract Expressionism and later Colour Field painting, developing the revolutionary soak-stain technique in the early 1950s. Her method of pouring thinned paint directly onto unprimed canvas created luminous, atmospheric effects that influenced a generation of painters including Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland.

Irascibles, The - A group of eighteen prominent Abstract Expressionist artists who signed an open letter in 1950 protesting the Metropolitan Museum of Art's conservative stance on contemporary American art. This historic group included Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and other key figures who defined the movement's identity and principles.

Closing Note

Abstract Expressionism remains one of the most influential movements in modern art because it redefined what painting could be. By focusing on gesture, scale, and emotion, these artists opened up new ways of thinking about both the process and the experience of art.

This glossary is designed as a clear, reliable reference—useful for collectors, writers, and anyone looking to better understand the language surrounding the movement.

Note: This glossary is intended as a useful concise list of terms only and not as a formal educational resource. It is not an exhaustive list of terms and artists within the world of Abstract Expressionism Art.