🎨American Art – 1945 to Present Unit 8 – Neo–Expressionism

Key Characteristics of Neo-Expressionism

• Emphasized subjective and emotional expression over formal concerns or realism
• Incorporated figurative and representational elements often distorted or exaggerated for expressive effect
• Drew inspiration from various sources including primitive art, graffiti, and popular culture (comic books, advertising)
• Featured bold, gestural brushstrokes and vivid, intense colors to convey raw emotion and energy
• Embraced a sense of spontaneity and immediacy in the creative process
  • Artists often worked quickly and intuitively without extensive planning or revision
• Rejected minimalism and conceptualism in favor of a return to painting and traditional media
• Frequently incorporated text, symbols, and personal iconography into compositions
• Addressed themes of alienation, violence, sexuality, and the human condition in a raw, confrontational manner

Historical Context and Origins

• Emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a reaction against minimalism and conceptualism
• Developed simultaneously in Europe (Germany, Italy) and the United States
  • German artists were influenced by post-war trauma and the need to confront their nation's past
  • American artists sought to revitalize painting and reintroduce emotion and content into art
• Drew from earlier expressionist movements (German Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism) but incorporated new influences and styles
• Coincided with the rise of postmodernism and its embrace of eclecticism, appropriation, and pluralism in art
• Reflected the social and political turmoil of the time including the Cold War, economic recession, and the AIDS crisis
• Benefited from a booming art market and the support of influential galleries and collectors

Major Artists and Their Works

• Jean-Michel Basquiat (American)
  • Known for his graffiti-inspired paintings featuring skulls, crowns, and African-American cultural figures
  • Major works: "Untitled" (1982), "Hollywood Africans" (1983), "Horn Players" (1983)
• Julian Schnabel (American)
  • Created large-scale paintings on broken ceramic plates and unconventional materials
  • Major works: "Exile" (1980), "The Walk Home" (1984-85), "Portrait of Andy Warhol" (1982)
• David Salle (American)
  • Combined disparate images from art history, popular culture, and photography in his paintings
  • Major works: "Poverty Is No Disgrace" (1982), "Sextant in Dogtown" (1987)
• Eric Fischl (American)
  • Painted psychologically charged scenes of suburban life and adolescent sexuality
  • Major works: "Bad Boy" (1981), "Sleepwalker" (1979), "The Old Man's Boat and the Old Man's Dog" (1982)
• Francesco Clemente (Italian)
  • Created introspective, dreamlike paintings that explored the subconscious and spirituality
  • Major works: "The Fourteen Stations" (1981-82), "Perseverance" (1981)

Themes and Subject Matter

• Explored personal experiences, emotions, and identities often through autobiographical or confessional content
• Addressed social and political issues such as race, gender, sexuality, and class inequality
• Drew from popular culture, mass media, and consumerism often with a critical or ironic stance
  • Incorporated images from advertising, television, movies, and comic books
• Investigated the human figure and portraiture with an emphasis on psychological states and inner turmoil
• Depicted urban life, particularly the gritty, marginal aspects of cities like New York and Berlin
• Engaged with art historical themes and motifs (mythology, religion, still life) but reinterpreted them through a contemporary lens
• Reflected on the role and status of the artist in society often portraying them as outsiders or rebels

Techniques and Materials

• Emphasized expressive, gestural brushwork and bold, saturated colors to convey emotion and energy
• Worked on large-scale canvases to create immersive, confrontational viewing experiences
• Incorporated unconventional materials such as broken plates, tarpaulins, and found objects into paintings
  • Schnabel's use of broken ceramic plates created textured, sculptural surfaces
• Employed techniques of collage, appropriation, and layering to create complex, multi-referential compositions
  • Salle's paintings juxtaposed disparate images from various sources to create disorienting, enigmatic narratives
• Experimented with different painting tools (rags, sticks, hands) and application methods (dripping, splashing, smearing) to achieve spontaneous, impulsive effects
• Combined painting with other media such as photography, sculpture, and installation to expand the boundaries of traditional painting
• Utilized graffiti-inspired techniques (spray paint, stencils, tagging) to infuse works with a sense of urban grit and immediacy

Impact on American Art Scene

• Revitalized painting as a relevant and vital medium after a period dominated by minimalism and conceptualism
• Brought a new generation of artists to prominence and launched the careers of Basquiat, Schnabel, Salle, and others
• Attracted significant attention from collectors, galleries, and museums leading to record-breaking prices at auction
  • Basquiat's "Untitled" (1982) sold for $110.5 million in 2017, setting a new record for an American artist
• Contributed to the growth and commercialization of the contemporary art market in the 1980s
• Inspired a renewed interest in figurative painting and expressionistic styles among younger artists
• Challenged the notion of "high art" by incorporating elements of popular culture and mass media into paintings
• Provoked debates about the role of skill, originality, and authenticity in art-making
• Paved the way for the emergence of other neo-expressionist and figurative movements in the 1990s and 2000s (Neo-Pop, Lowbrow)

Critical Reception and Debates

• Divided critics and scholars, with some praising neo-expressionism's vitality and others dismissing it as superficial and market-driven
  • Supporters saw it as a necessary corrective to the austerity and intellectualism of minimalism and conceptualism
  • Detractors viewed it as a regressive, self-indulgent style that pandered to commercial interests
• Raised questions about the relationship between art and the market, with some arguing that neo-expressionism was overly dependent on hype and speculation
• Sparked debates about the role of identity politics in art, particularly regarding the representation of race, gender, and sexuality
  • Some critics accused neo-expressionist artists of appropriating or exploiting marginalized identities for shock value
• Prompted discussions about the nature of originality and appropriation in postmodern art
  • Neo-expressionist artists freely borrowed from art history and popular culture, challenging traditional notions of authorship and creativity
• Criticized by some for its perceived machismo and the dominance of male artists in the movement
  • Women artists like Susan Rothenberg and Jenny Saville offered important counterpoints and alternatives to the male-dominated canon

Legacy and Influence

• Helped to establish painting as a viable and relevant medium in the postmodern era, paving the way for future generations of painters
• Influenced the work of subsequent artists who engaged with figurative painting, expressionistic styles, and personal narratives (Cecily Brown, Dana Schutz, John Currin)
• Contributed to the ongoing dialogue between art and popular culture, blurring the boundaries between "high" and "low" forms of expression
• Expanded the possibilities of painting by incorporating unconventional materials, techniques, and subject matter
• Demonstrated the power of art to provoke, challenge, and engage with social and political issues
• Highlighted the importance of individual expression and subjectivity in a world increasingly dominated by mass media and consumerism
• Helped to establish New York as a global center for contemporary art in the 1980s, alongside other emerging scenes in Europe and Asia
• Continues to be celebrated and reexamined in major exhibitions and retrospectives, offering new perspectives on its significance and impact