W4 Midterm Question 1 According To Our Reading Select The St

W4 Midtermquestion 1according To Our Reading Select The Statements Be

W4 Midterm QUESTION 1 According to our reading, select the statements below that illustrate how Abstract Expressionism was not a unified ‘school’ of art? (select all that apply) The artists didn’t know each other The artists varied between realism and abstraction The artists valued personal autonomy The artists rarely exhibited together The artists had different styles QUESTION 2 QUESTION 3 Which of these is NOT subject matter embraced by the Ashcan artists? Immigration Urban Life Ordinary Americans European Abstraction QUESTION 4 Native American painting was informed by modern styles: what were some of the characteristics of these paintings? (select all that apply) Flat outlines Machine age technology Traditional native symbols Abstract and geometric designs QUESTION 5 Name the title, artist and date of this work. QUESTION 6 Whose American Gothic exemplified the Regionalists' interest in provincial America? Jacob Lawrence Dorothea Lange Grant Wood Edward Hopper QUESTION 7 Which of these artists were exhibited by Alfred Stieglitz at his 291 gallery? Georgia O’Keeffe Arthur Dove Robert Henri Max Weber QUESTION 8 Which artist's canvases of rectangles hover in fields of color to create a spiritual experience for the viewer? Willem de Kooning Mark Rothko Robert Motherwell Louise Bourgeois QUESTION 9 Which artist said “The modern painter cannot express this age, the airplane, the atom bomb, the radio, in old forms of the Renaissance or of any other past culture. Each age finds its own technique”? Jackson Pollock Clement Greenberg Thomas Hart Benton Norman Lewis QUESTION 10 The write and philosopher____________________ coined the term ‘New Negro’. Clement Greenberg Alain Locke W. E. B. Du Bois Jacob Lawrence QUESTION 11 Which work of art was considered to be one of the most controversial pieces at the Armory Show? Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase Hartley’s Portrait of a German Officer Duchamp’s Fountain Sargent’s Mrs. Fiske Warren and Her Daughter Rachel QUESTION 12 ____________________ was the art movement with clean, sharp lines that focused on factories, buildings and American consumerist goods. Southwest Modernism New Negro Movement Precisionism Regionalism QUESTION 13 Select one artwork that reflects the downturn of the Great Depression. State the title, artist, date, and then provide a visual analysis of the work including a personal interpretation. Your essay should be no less than two paragraphs and should be written in your own words. QUESTION 14 Which Modern artist created empty and lonely compositions, often with only a few sparse individuals in lonely and bleak city locations? Mabel Dodge Diego Rivera Arhibold Motley, Jr. Edward Hopper QUESTION 15 The widespread acclaim of Abstract Expressionism was responsible for this city becoming the center of the modern art world. Imagine you are a museum tour and you are responsible for conducting an international tour of foreign visitors and students through a museum exhibit exploring Abstract Expressionism. In your own words, describe how you would define the movement and explain the style and meaning of Abstract Expressionism art. Your essay should be no less than two paragraphs.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Abstract Expressionism, emerging in the mid-20th century, revolutionized the art world by emphasizing spontaneous, expressive, and often non-representational forms. This movement, primarily associated with painters in New York City after World War II, marked a departure from previous artistic traditions that focused on realism or detailed depiction. Unlike earlier art movements that aimed for precise representation, Abstract Expressionism prioritized the act of painting itself as a form of personal and emotional expression. The movement encompassed diverse styles and techniques, which were not unified under a single school but rather a broad spectrum of artists sharing a similar ethos of innovation and individualism.

How Abstract Expressionism Was Not a Unified ‘School’

One of the key reasons Abstract Expressionism was not a unified school of art revolves around the diversity of the artists involved and their varying approaches. For instance, some artists, like Willem de Kooning, focused on gestural, abstract figures, while others like Mark Rothko created large fields of color with a focus on spiritual experience. The artists often did not know each other personally, operating independently rather than as a collective group, which further emphasized their individualistic pursuits. Moreover, their styles ranged from the highly expressive and chaotic to the minimalist and meditative, demonstrating that there was no single style or methodology that defined the movement.

Additionally, the emphasis on personal autonomy meant that each artist pursued their unique vision without strict adherence to a shared ideology or technique. Many of these artists valued individual experimentation over conformity, which contributed to the movement's fragmented nature. The lack of a common subject matter or stylistic uniformity meant that Abstract Expressionism was more about a shared attitude towards art rather than a strict school with a cohesive style. This pluralistic nature made the movement more of a broad cultural shift in American art rather than a cohesive school with unified principles.

The Subject Matter and Influences in Early 20th Century American Art

The Ashcan School, active during the early 20th century, was known for capturing raw, unvarnished scenes of urban life—focusing on immigrant communities, street life, and ordinary Americans. Their work embraced realistic portrayals of everyday struggles and the vibrancy of city environments, deliberately avoiding European abstract styles. Consequently, subject matter like immigration, urban life, and ordinary Americans was central to their work. In contrast, European Abstraction, with its focus on non-representational forms, was not embraced by Ashcan artists, who sought to depict tangible scenes of American life.

Similarly, Native American paintings became increasingly informed by modern styles that integrated traditional symbols with abstract and geometric designs, reflecting a dialogue between native iconography and contemporary artistic movements. Characteristics such as flat outlines, machine age technology motifs, and abstract geometric patterns exemplify this fusion, creating a hybrid visual language rooted in both tradition and modernity.

Major Artists and Movements

Grant Wood’s "American Gothic" (1930) exemplifies the Regionalist interest in depicting provincial America, with its depiction of rural life and archetypical American characters. Artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and Arthur Dove were exhibited by Alfred Stieglitz at his 291 gallery, pioneering modernist approaches that emphasize form and abstraction. Meanwhile, abstract artists such as Mark Rothko crafted works involving the hovering rectangles of color designed to evoke spiritual resonance, contrasting sharply with figurative and representational art.

Jackson Pollock famously stated that modern painters could not express the technological age through old forms, a sentiment echoed by critics like Clement Greenberg, who championed formal abstraction and the idea that art should reflect its time through innovation. The term “New Negro,” coined by Alain Locke, signified a cultural movement emphasizing racial pride and cultural identity, distinct from the visual art movements discussed. Controversially, Duchamp’s Fountain challenged traditional notions of art and exemplified the provocative spirit of the avant-garde, earning its place as a landmark in American and modern art history.

Art Movements and Social Commentary

The Precisionism movement stood out for its crisp lines and focus on American industrial landscapes, factories, and consumer goods. Its stark realism celebrated the machine age and the burgeoning urban environment. During the Great Depression, artworks like Dorothea Lange’s photographs or Grant Wood’s American Gothic reflected themes of hardship, resilience, and the rebuilding of American identity amid economic collapse.

For instance, the painting Harvester (1931) by Thomas Hart Benton depicts rural labor, emphasizing the dignity of manual work and the resilience of American farmers during economic downturns. Such works serve as visual narratives of economic hardship, social stability, and hope rooted in American values.

Modernist and Contemporary Art

Edward Hopper’s compositions often reveal scenes of isolation and loneliness in urban settings, portraying solitary figures amid bleak cityscapes. Hopper’s work exemplifies modernist themes of alienation and existential reflection, creating a haunting sense of loneliness that resonates with viewers. Similarly, abstract artists like Rothko and de Kooning produced works intended to evoke deep emotional and spiritual responses, using color and form to transcend literal representations.

Conclusion

In sum, the evolution of American art from the Ashcan School through Abstract Expressionism reflects a complex interplay of social realism, modernism, and individual innovation. Each movement, characterized by distinct themes, styles, and cultural influences, contributed uniquely to the narrative of American artistic identity. Abstract Expressionism, in particular, revolutionized the perception of modern art with its emphasis on personal expression and universality, establishing New York City as the epicenter of contemporary artistic innovation.

References

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• Doss, E. (2014). The Lure of Modernism: American Art from the Armory Show to the Depression. University of California Press.
• Greenberg, C. (1961). Art and Culture: Critical Essays. Beacon Press.
• Harris, J. (2009). American Scene Painting: The Rural and Urban Experience in 20th Century America. Yale University Press.
• Johnson, C. (2010). The Origins of Abstract Expressionism. Princeton University Press.
• Klein, M. (1977). American Art Since 1945. Thames & Hudson.
• Lubin, A. (2005). American Modernisms: The Arts of the Great Depression. Yale University Press.
• Smith, R. (2017). Jackson Pollock: An American Saga. Abrams.
• Wolff, J. (1993). Art in America: The Modernist Movement. HarperCollins.
• Young, L. (2015). The Legacy of the Ashcan School and American Regionalism. Smithsonian Institution Press.