New York School
The New York School refers to a group of American painters, sculptors, poets, musicians, dancers, and photographers active in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s. This term is most often associated with the visual artists who pioneered the Abstract Expressionist movement, but it also encompassed a broader cultural milieu that fostered significant developments in literature, music, and the performing arts.
Abstract Expressionism, the first major American-born art movement, marked a shift in the art world, positioning New York City as the new center of the avant-garde, taking over from Paris. This movement is characterized by abstract paintings that express the artist's emotional and psychological state. Two significant styles emerged from the Abstract Expressionist movement: Action Painting, characterized by spontaneous brushwork or dripping paint, often with an emphasis on the physical act of painting; and Color Field painting, which features large areas of a more or less flat single color.
Notable artists associated with the New York School include Jackson Pollock, known for his "drip paintings"; Mark Rothko, renowned for his large color field works; Willem de Kooning, recognized for his gestural, abstract depictions of the female form; and sculptor David Smith, who created abstract, welded steel sculptures.
Poets associated with the New York School, such as Frank O'Hara, John Ashbery, and Barbara Guest, often shared a similar focus on the spontaneity, immediacy, and the use of everyday language, and they frequently interacted with and drew inspiration from the visual artists of the movement.
The New York School was not a formal school or institution, but rather a loose community of artists who shared certain philosophical approaches and often interacted socially. It was known for its spirit of collaboration and interdisciplinary experimentation, with artists often drawing inspiration from jazz music, contemporary dance, psychoanalysis, and Eastern philosophy, among other sources.
In sum, the New York School played a pivotal role in the history of modern art, marking a significant shift in the art world's center from Europe to America, and its influence continues to be felt in contemporary art today.
