Introduction to 'Abstract Expressionism' with Edith Devaney

Curator Edith Devaney introduces the ‘Abstract Expressionism’ exhibition and examines the key concepts behind this artistic phenomenon.

From the moment that it first emerged in the late 1940s, Abstract Expressionism has been a subject of debate. Although perceived to be a unified movement, in reality it was a much more complex and fluid phenomenon. The Abstract Expressionists broke fresh ground with their attitudes towards scale, colour and composition. Artists like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning challenged accepted conventions to unleash a new confidence in painting.