Notes on Post-1945 Art Movements and World Context
Post-1945 World and the Cold War
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings: August 6 and 9, 1945
EST. TOTAL DEAD WORLD WIDE: MIlitary 20{,}858{,}800; Civilian 27{,}372{,}900; TOTAL 48{,}231{,}700
Post-1945 world: new spheres of influence; NUCLEAR STAND-OFF & THE COLD WAR BEGINS
Berlin Wall constructed 1961 and remained until 1989
Major events shaping the era include colonial revolutions, independences, civil wars; Israel and Islam; international migration; Cold War dynamics
MODERNISM
MODERNISM is a tricky term:
GENERICALLY: anything NEW / UP-TO-DATE / CONTEMPORARY IN ART HISTORY
It can refer to a time period (varies by source: e.g., 1860s–1968; 1900–1950; up to 1970s in some sources)
MODERNISM can also refer to a set of ideas (three main components):
(a) Western humanist ideals of rational science, logic, perfection, truth, objective reality, & progress
(b) rejection of the past
(c) assumed universality, toward one perfect art
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ABSTRACT ART (Alfred Barr chart overview)
Key movements/periods (as outlined in the Barr chart-style timeline):
1890: JAPANESE PRINTS influence cited
Gauguin (died 1903) and SYNTHETISM (Cézanne) around 1900–1906
Van Gogh (d. 1890); Redon (d. 1916); PROVENCE links (Pont-Aven, Paris)
Abstract movements arrive: NEAR-EASTERN ART (ABSTRACT) EXPRESSIONISM, FAUVISM, DADAISM, FUTURISM
CUBISM (Paris, 1906–08)
MACHINE ESTHETIC and ORPHISM (1912)
DE STIJL and NEOPLASTICISM (1920; Cologne and Berlin)
PU RISM (1918)
SURR EALISM (Paris, 1924)
BAUHAUS (Weimar/Dessau, 1919–1925)
NON-GEOMETRICAL ABSTRACT ART vs GEOMETRICAL ABSTRACT ART (1935)
OVERVIEW: The chart emphasizes a lineage from late 19th–early 20th century experiments toward varied forms of abstraction, leading up to mid-20th-century international movements.
ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM
DEFINITION: A major post-1940s movement in the US, with two major divisions:
ACTION PAINTINGS: violent, frenzied gestures; emphasis on the process and the physical act of painting
COLOR FIELD PAINTINGS: large fields of color; more tranquil, spiritual, and contemplative
SUBJECT MATTER: Abstract forms, with emphasis on expressing personal feelings to universal or spiritual concerns; the act of painting itself can be the subject
KEY WORK: No. 5, 1948 (Pollock) cited as an emblem of the movement’s approach to action and spontaneity
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Jackson Pollock (1912–1956) became a symbol of the new artistic revolt; promoted by critic Clement Greenberg
CIA involvement in promoting Abstract Expressionism to project American freedom and capitalism during the Cold War; helped challenge social realist styles in communist nations and European art markets
PHYSICAL WORKING NOTES:
Pollock’s murals and large-scale canvases often required non-traditional studio setups; action painting emphasized in NY School
Pollock’s technique included dripping, pouring, and splattering to channel psychic energy
SELECTED ARTISTS (Pollock’s circle and contemporaries):
Lee Krasner (1908–1984): Night Creatures, 1965; acrylic on paper (example of ongoing practice within the movement)
Willem de Kooning (1904–1997): Ashville, 1948; Black Untitled, 1948; Excavation, 1950; Light in August, 1947
Robert Motherwell (1915–1991): Elegy to the Spanish Republic, No. 70, 1961; Calligraphy 1, 1989; Untitled, 1967
Franz Kline (1910–1962): Black Reflections, 1959; Chief, 1950
Mark Rothko (1903–1970): No. 10, 1950; color-field works later prominent in the movement
Adolph Gottlieb (1903–1974): Pictographs and related works (color-field and abstract expressionist concerns)
Barnett Newman (1905–1970): key Color Field artist; early surrealist influences in some works; later “Zip” paintings become iconic of the hard-edged, flat color approach
Richard Pousette-Dart (1916–1992): Symphony No. 1, The Transcendental, 1941–42
QUOTES/IDEAS:
No. 5 (1948) and other Pollock works exemplify the belief that painting can be an existential inquiry and a form of self-discovery
The movement is framed as a cultural argument about democracy vs. totalitarianism during the Cold War
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTES:
Pollock’s canvases are typically large or mural-size; the scale amplifies the immersive effect of the action painting method
OTHER CONTEXT:
The movement reshaped how painting was discussed in terms of process, surface, and gesture, moving away from traditional composition and perspective
Abstract Expressionism: COLOR FIELD PAINTING
DEFINITION: A subset of Abstract Expressionism focusing on large fields of color and flat planes, often aiming for spiritual or existential resonance rather than gesture
KEY ARTISTS/WORKS:
Mark Rothko (1903–1970): No. 10, 1950; Red, Orange, Tan, Purple (1949); White Center, 1950s; famous for luminous, soft-edged color fields
Barnett Newman (1905–1970): early Onement series (Onement 1, 1948; Onement 1953); “Zip” paintings; quote: “We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth.”; Voice of Fire (1967) often cited in public discourse about scale and value
Clyfford Still (1904–1980): color-field formations; hard-edged color fields in a large abstract format
Helen Frankenthaler (1928– ): One of the earliest to use acrylics; significant Color Field contributions via stained and poured color (e.g., Mother Goose Melody, 1959; Tar, 1979)
SIGNIFICANCE/FACTS:
Color Field painting presented a shift toward inner experience and spirituality through color, often with minimal or no recognizable imagery
Mark Rothko’s market value highlighted with a notable sale: USD 72{.}8{,}000{,}000.00 in 2007 at Sotheby’s (White Center, 1950)
OTHER COLOR FIELD ARTISTS:
Adolph Gottlieb, Ronald Martin? (context indicates Gottlieb’s role alongside Rothko/Still as part of broader color-field discourse)
NOTES ON FORM:
Emphasis on flat surfaces, expansive color planes, and a reduction of visible brushwork to focus on color’s emotional impact
ABSTRACTION: ADJECTIVE FIELDS, HARD EDGE, AND RELATED MOVEMENTS
HARD EDGE PAINTING (Ellsworth Kelly and peers):
Characteristics: hard, crisp edges; geometrically consistent color blocks; flat surfaces; “machine-made” look; minimal symbolism
Artists/Works:
Ellsworth Kelly (b. 1923): Red, Yellow, Blue II (1965); Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red (1966) – Five panels; Overall size 60 x 240 inches; Sixty-Four Panels: Colors for a Large Wall (1951)
The concept emphasizes the visual impact of precise color blocks and shaped canvases in later works
Commentary: Hard Edge painting reacted against gestural brushwork of Abstract Expressionism; formal properties and color relationships prized over narrative meaning
MINIMALIST ART (1960s–1970s):
Core idea: reduce a work to the minimum number of colors, values, shapes, lines, and textures; reaction against Abstract Expressionism’s reflectivity of gesture
Key figures/works:
Tony Smith (American, 1912–1980): Free Ride (1962; refabricated 1982) – Painted steel; Wandering Rocks (1967); Moondog (1964; fabricated 1998–1999); Smoke (1967); Die (1962; fabricated 1998)
Maya Lin (American, b. 1959): The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Wall Section), 1982
Ellsworth Kelly (see above) as a bridge between Hard Edge and Minimalist color-block practices
Design connections: Minimalist design/industrial aesthetics also reflected in mid-20th-century product charts (e.g., Raymond Loewy’s product evolution chart, mid-1930s; commercial/applications in industrial design)
MINIMALIST DESIGN/PHILOSOPHY:
Minimalist approach extends beyond painting to architecture, product design, and branding (e.g., MUJI, minimalist branding, etc.)
The style is described as stripping complexity to foreground essential form and color
SPIRITUALITY IN GEOMETRY: ISLAMIC DESIGN PATTERNS
A nod to geometric patterning as a form of spiritual or transcendent aesthetic in design traditions
Emphasizes mathematics-based symmetry, tessellation, and decorative abstraction that informs later Western minimalist and geometric art traditions
OP ART (Optical Art)
DEFINITION: 1960s geometrical abstract art employing optical illusions to simulate movement, vibration, or hidden images when viewed
KEY ARTISTS/WORKS:
Victor Vasarely (Hungarian, 1918–1997): Movement in Squares, 1961 – Tempera on hardboard; 48.5 x 47.75 inches; foundational op-art piece
Bridget Riley (English, b. 1931): Fall, 1963 – Emulsion on hardboard; 55.5 x 55.25 inches; Arrest 1, 1965 – Emulsion on canvas; 70 x 68.25 inches
IDEAS/TECHNIQUES:
Illusion of movement on a flat surface via precise geometric arrangements; Audiences experience motion or depth through pattern and color interactions
POP ART (Popular Art)
DEFINITION/RESPONSE: Short for “Popular Art.” Active in late 1950s–1960s; origin in England and rapid spread to the US
Reaction against Abstract Expressionism (seen as elitist) and celebration of postwar consumer culture; POP is playful and ironic, not spiritual or psychological
KEY ARTISTS/WORKS:
Andy Warhol (1928–1987): Campbell’s Soup (1962) – oil on canvas; Mao (1973); Marilyn Monroe Diptych (1962); Green Coca-Cola Bottles (1962); Self-Portrait from photo-booth strips (1963); 1966 multi-canvas silkscreen portraits; famous quote about fame
Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997): Drowning Girl (1963) – oil and polymer on canvas; Explosion (1967) – lithograph with Benday dots; bold lines and mass-media aesthetic
Jasper Johns (b. 1930): Three Flags, 1958 – encaustic on canvas; Painted Bronze (1960) – oil on bronze; comment on everyday icons re-contextualized as fine art
Peter Blake (British, b. 1932): Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (album cover, 1967); Self-Portrait with Badges (1961)
CONTEMPORARY POP (Japanese and global extension): Takashi Murakami (Japan, b. 1963) – POP + OTAKU = POKU; blends high and low culture; Kanye West Graduation cover imagery referenced; artist’s branding and postmodern consumer poetics
POP ART IN MEDIA/ADVERTISING:
IPOD + ITUNES commercials with pop-art influences: bright, cheerful, saturated colors; promotion of products and brand culture; flat graphics; relationship with music and pop culture
Later spots integrate more expressive features to convey inner emotion
ADDITIONAL POP NOTES:
Album covers as critical sites of POP ART engagement (e.g., Sgt. Pepper cover)
Contemporary uses of POP within fashion and media culture
OTHER POP ART NOTES:
PuriKura (Japanese photo sticker booth) as a cultural artifact illustrating snippets of pop culture and consumer imagery
QUOTES/IDEAS:
POP ART’s emphasis on mass-produced imagery raised questions about originality, mass culture, and consumer society
POP ART IN CONTEXT: FURTHER EXAMPLES AND NOTES
Contemporary Pop references include advertising imagery, celebrity culture, and mass media as subject matter and technique
The movement’s global reach is evidenced by cross-cultural artists and media, including Japanese cultural phenomena (e.g., PuriKura) and contemporary anime-inflected aesthetics (e.g., Murakami)
CONTEMPORARY POP + DESIGN INTERACTIONS
IPOD + ITUNES campaigns illustrate how Pop aesthetics migrated into digital branding and consumer technology marketing
POP ART influences appear in fashion and music industry collaborations and visuals
The overlap between commercial design and fine art is a continuing thread in late-20th-century and 21st-century aesthetics
ART & PUBLIC MEMORIALS: MINIMALISM IN MEMORIAL ART
Maya Lin, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Wall) – 1982
An example of Minimalist memorial sculpture within a public context
Emphasizes simplicity, reflection, and collective memory rather than overt heroic imagery
Related public memorials (e.g., The Three Servicemen sculpture, Frederic Hart, 1982) and other national monuments (e.g., Tugu Negara, 1966) illustrate the broader spectrum of memorial sculpture in the late 20th century
The memorials reflect minimalist and solemn approaches to memory, identity, and public space
MINIMALISM AND MODERN DESIGN IN THE MARKETPLACE
Minimalist aesthetics infiltrate commercial and industrial design spaces
Design evolution charts (e.g., Raymond Loewy) illustrate product design progress from earlier decades into mid-century modernism
Brands and retail spaces often adopt minimalist, clean lines and restrained color palettes to convey clarity and efficiency
Examples of minimalist branding and store aesthetics influence hotel and corporate environments
COLOR, LIGHT, AND VISUAL PERCEPTION IN ART PRACTICE
LIGHT DRAWING / LIGHT GRAFFITI (Lichtfaktor-Crew, 2006) – light-based drawing experiences; Picasso photographed in 1949 as a historical reference
Philips Drag & Draw installation (2006) – enables painting via laser beams projected onto walls; experimentation with light as medium
ART IN THE DIGITAL AGE: ADVERTISING AND MEDIA HISTORY
Apple advertising videos and “History of Apple’s Advertising Videos” – reference to visual storytelling in the digital era
MO MA references and color charts (2008) as contemporary context for color theory in exhibition design
COMMON ATTACKS AND CRITICISMS OF MODERN ART
Common criticisms (as listed in the material):
1) TECHNIQUE/IDENTITY: “Anyone / an animal / a child / a mad person can do that!”
2) TIME: “This must have taken no longer than a day!”
COMMON CRITICISMS REGARDING MEANING/PURPOSE AND COST:
3) MEANING / PURPOSE: “Rubbish” or a sign that society is decaying or mad
4) COST: “$X,XXX,XXX for this?” – seen as elitist; taste of rich people
CARTOON EXAMPLE: Ad Reinhardt’s modern art cartoon “How to look at a Cubist Painting” (1946) illustrates public confusion or skepticism toward abstraction
ENDNOTES AND FURTHER REFERENCES
Reference: The motherlode of material includes lectures/slides from MoMA and broader modern art scholarship
Promotional/educational links cited in the material include MoMA exhibitions (e.g., color chart references) and video resources (Pollock, Namuth; SFMOMA resources)
KEY QUOTES AND IDEAS TO REMEMBER
Jackson Pollock: “Painting is a state of being…Painting is self discovery…”
Barnett Newman: “It is our function as artists to make the spectator see the world our way not his way.”
The Abstract Expressionist movement is framed as a cultural-front in the Cold War, with abstraction used to symbolize freedom and creativity in the United States
Pop Art’s core stance: celebrate mass culture while questioning originality and consumer culture
Takashi Murakami’s fusion of POP and OTAKU aesthetics as a contemporary evolution of POP culture in art
Islamic geometric patterns demonstrate cross-cultural references to geometry and spirituality in design traditions
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT DATES AND WORKS (SELECTED)
No. 5, 1948 (Pollock) – Action Painting exemplar
Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952 (Pollock)
Woman/Man imagery and abstractions by Pollock (various works dated 1942–1950s)
No. 10, 1950 (Rothko) – Color Field example
Red, Orange, Tan, Purple, 1949 (Rothko) – Color Field example
Onement 1 (1948) and Onement (1953) (Newman) – Zip paintings, hard-edged flat color concepts
Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow, Blue? (1966/67) (Newman) – Flat forms / asymmetrical balance
Movement in Squares, 1961 (Vasarely) – Key Op Art work
Fall, 1963 (Riley) – Op Art piece
Arrest 1, 1965 (Riley) – Op Art piece
Campbell’s Soup Can, 1962 (Warhol) – Pop Art icon
Mao (1973) and Marilyn Diptych (1962) (Warhol) – Pop Art icons
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover (1967) (Peter Blake) – Pop Art album cover
Three Flags, 1958 (Jasper Johns) – Pop Art/iconic motif
Self-Portrait with Badges, 1961 (Peter Blake) – Pop Art portrait
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Wall), 1982 (Maya Lin) – Minimalist memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Wall Section) details (1982) – Minimalist public sculpture
The Three Servicemen, 1982 (Hart) and Tugu Negara, 1966 (Felix de Weldon) – Public memorial sculptures
The poetry of early photomontage: Warhol’s Self-Portrait from photo-booth strips, 1963; multi-canvas works, 1966
Tony Smith’s Free Ride, 1962 (refabricated 1982); Wandering Rocks, 1967; Die, 1962 (fabricated 1998) – Minimalist sculpture
Maya Lin’s Vietnam Memorial (Wall Section), 1982 – Minimalist memorial; quiet, contemplative
Ellsworth Kelly, Red, Yellow, Blue II, 1965; Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, 1966; Sixty-Four Panels: Colors for a Large Wall, 1951 – Hard Edge color blocks
Bridget Riley, Fall, 1963; Arrest 1, 1965 – Op Art
Victor Vasarely, Movement in Squares, 1961 – Op Art foundational piece
This set of notes consolidates the major and minor points from the provided transcript, organized into topical sections with definitions, key artists and works, techniques, cultural context, and critical reception. It preserves the chronological flow from post-1945 world events to the major art movements discussed in the transcript, while including explicit examples, dates, and notable quotes where available.