ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM Today’s topic is Abstract Expressionism. We will talk about the movement in general, when it happened and what are its main characteristics. After that we will have a look at the historical context of America in that period and finally we learn about one of the greatest artists of this movement Jackson Pollock and his painting techniques. Warm-up Activity: Match the definition to the term: ……………………………………………………………. not following what is normal Unconventional ……………………………………………………………. experimental methods in art Common ……………………………………………………………. clear, accurate and neat Precise ……………………………………………………………. tendency not to like changes Savant-guarde ……………………………………………………………. not special, ordinary Conservatism 1. Look at the painting and discuss in pairs which words would describe this artwork 1. Text about Abstract Expressionism: read the text and make a note of the main idea of each paragraph. An example has been done for you. Abstract Expressionism During the first half of nineteen century artists continued to experiment and form new avant-garde movements. But the centre of their activities changed. New York, the new Before the war, European cities such as Paris had dominated the arts scene. centre of the art After the war, the focus shifted to New York, where many artists had moved to escape the fighting. ……………………………………… Abstract Expressionism is considered one of the great avant-garde movements that happened in New York City in the 1940s and 1950s, sometimes is called ……………………………………… the New York School and sometimes ‘Action Painting’. Abstract Expressionist painters explored new ways of creating art, reinvigorating ……………………………………… and reinventing the medium. They changed the nature of painting with their large, abstract canvases, energetic and gestural lines, and new artistic processes. In the past we have seen other art trends which were defined by specific ……………………………………… techniques, however the work produced by the Abstract Expressionists cannot be commonly defined by specific techniques. The style is the result of individual ……………………………………… concepts. With unconventional ways of painting, the Abstract ……………………………………… Expressionists sought new forms of self-expression and personal freedom in their work. Abstract Expressionists shared an intensity of creativity and individuality which ……………………………………… was partly based on the historical consequences of the Great Depression, the ……………………………………… Second World War as well as post-war politics. These artists moved away from European traditions of painting to create a ……………………………………… distinctly new American kind of art which both respected and challenged the domination of the early 20th century giants such as Picasso and Matisse. Abstract Expressionism is best known for large scale paintings, really big canvases: artists developed new techniques to apply paint, such as ……………………………………… moving the canvas from the easel to the floor and working on canvas and then began to paint using various kinds of paint and tools, such as sticks, ……………………………………… leaves, to express themselves. In some cases they used house paint, as opposed to different kinds of oil paints or acrylics. ……………………………………… ……………………………………… Abstract Expressionism is considered as an advancement in painting because ……………………………………… the ideas of these artists had a huge influence on painting, drawing, sculpture, ……………………………………… graphic novels and graphic design. Artists belonging to this movement include Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, Franz Kline, Mark Rothko and Ad Reinhardt. The world of the Abstract Expressionist artists was firmly rooted in Lower Manhattan. A walk along 8th Street would take you from the ……………………………………… Waldorf Cafeteria, where penniless artists made “tomato soup” from the free hot water and ketchup; past the Hans Hofmann School of Fine ……………………………………… artists founded by the painter of the same name; to The Club, a loft ……………………………………… where lectures and heated arguments about art carried on late into the night. Jackson Pollock’s studio was on East 8th Street, Willem de Kooning’s and Philip Guston’s were on East 10th, and although Franz Kline moved among various homes and studios in the area, most nights found him and many of his contemporaries at the Cedar Street Tavern on University Place. GLOSSARIO Canvas: tela To move away: allontanarsi Easel: cavalletto To root: radicare House paint: colore fatto in casa To share: condividere Huge: enorme To shift: spostarsi Large scale: di grandi dimensioni Stick: bastoncino To challenge: sfidare Trend: corrente 2. Pair work. Find at least 12 key words in the text to help explain the concepts you can find in it. When you have finished compare your findings with those of your classmates The first one has been given as an example 1 Savant Guarde movement 7. ………………………………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………………………………….. 8. ………………………………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………………………………….. 9. ………………………………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………………………………….. 10. …………………………………………………………………………. 5. ………………………………………………………………………….. 11. …………………………………………………………………………. 6. ………………………………………………………………………….. 12. …………………………………………………………………………. 3. Compare teacher list with student one: look at the difference! 4. Complete the following sentences Abstract Expressionism, also called ______________________ and ______________________________ , flourished in New York in the years following ______________________ These artists wanted to challenge the clear domination of early 20th century painters such as _________________________________________ Their main goal was to create ____________________________________ Although this movement happened in a time of great political repression, it was an ____________________________________ The most prominent Abstract Expressionist painters were ____________________________________ Summarise what you have learned in this lesson. Use the lexicon given: This art movement happened in ... Despite this ... It dates back to ... had a great influence on ... Its main characteristics included ... The main artists of this movement are ... These artists produced ... One of the most innovative aspect is ... This art movement took place in ... Historical contest: from 1940 to 1955 5. Answer to the questions (work in pairs) Do you know any of these people? What do you think is happening in these pictures? Maybe, It’s possible that…………………………………… It’s likely to be………………………………………. I would imagine that……………………………………………………. Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor Yalta Conference UNICEF Is Founded Cold War Marshall Plan Gandhi Assassinated Princess Elizabeth Becomes Queen at Age 25 Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat on a Bus 6. Read the following text: America in the 1950s Abstract Expressionism emerged in a climate of Cold War politics and social and cultural conservatism. World War II had positioned the United States as a global power, and in the years following the conflict, many Americans enjoyed the benefits of unprecedented economic growth. But by the mid-1950s the spirit of optimism had turned into a potent mix of power and paranoia. Fueled by the fear of Communist infiltration, Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin unleashed a series of “witch-hunts” against alleged Communist sympathizers. Any hint of subversion could make an individual suspect. One scholar later reflected: “It is ironic but not contradictory that in a society in which political repression weighed as heavily as it did in the United States, abstract expressionism was for many the expression of freedom: the freedom to creative controversial works of art, the freedom symbolized by action painting, by the unbridled expressionism of artists completely without fetters.” GLOSSARIO Fetter: impedimento To fuel: alimentare Growth: crescita To turn into: trasformare Hint: accenno To unleash: scatenare Scholar: studioso To weigh: pesare To allege: affermare Unbridled: sfrenato 7. Write down a short text about the historical events happened from 1940 to 1955 8. Look at the following photos: The photos show Jackson Pollock, one of the major artists of Abstract Expressionism, at work in his studio. Can you write down four differences between this work and traditional painting methods? 1……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. When you have finished, compare your answers with those of your classmates. Video about Jackson Pollock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrVE-WQBcYQ&list=PLJ-bQH7_2kozuGNdfyhHKcZn4I566slJC 9. Lend me your eyes (video without sounds) Half of the class sit with their back to the screen, the other half describes what they see 10. Listen to the video and fill in the gaps I don’t work from drawings or colour sketches. My painting is direct. I enjoy working on a large canvas, usually on the floor. I feel more at home, more at ease in a big area. Having the canvas on the floor I feel nearer, more a part of the painting. This way I can walk around it, work from all four sides and begin the painting. Sometimes I use a brush, but often prefer using a stick. Sometimes I pour the paint directly out of the can. I like to use a dripping, fluid paint, as well as sand, broken glass or string. I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement. When I am painting I have a general notion as to what I am about. I can control the flow