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abstract (adj)
not recognizable; lacking pictorial representation or narrative
content but utilizing color, form, and texture for expressive or
decorative purposes |
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Abstract Expressionism
(the New York School)
the art movement characterized by monumental canvases and a bold
new visual vocabulary and technique that emerged in New York after
World War II; the first American style
to have worldwide impact. Inspired by Surrealism’s
emphasis on the unconscious, Abstract Expressionist artists sought
spontaneous personal expression through dynamic applications of
paint. Innovative approaches included the poured, dripped, or splattered
pigment of Jackson Pollock, the
use of housepainters' brushes, and the application of stained color
with sponges or soaked cloths. |
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Art Deco
design movement from the mid-1920s through World War II (1939-1945)
characterized by geometric, streamlined shapes and the use of industrially
produced materials, such as metal, glass, aluminum and enamel. Most
commonly seen in furniture design, decorative arts, and architecture,
Art Deco was named after the International Exposition of Modern
Decorative and Industrial Arts, held in Paris in 1925. |
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Ashcan School
the group of early-20th-century American painters, who
presented the commonplace and unglamorous realities of city life
in images of street urchins, prostitutes, athletes, immigrants,
and boxers. The group was also called The Eight, a name derived
from their one and only group exhibition in New York in 1908. Some
members of The Eight, however, departed from urban realism to concentrate
on Impressionist themes
of the upper-middle class or to work in styles
related to European movements. |
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avant-garde (adj)
unconventional or experimental; ahead of its time; often used to
describe progressive art, music, or literature |
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Baroque (adj)
of or relating to the style
of art and architecture prevalent in Europe during the 17th century
and first half of the 18th century, characterized by extravagant
theatrical forms of presentation including the dramatic manipulation
of space, creation of vivid illusions, use of opulent color, and
sharp contrasts of light and dark |
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bird’s-eye view (n)
a view from above, as though a bird were looking down while in flight |
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body art (n)
a type of art that uses the human body as its medium. Body art may
be performed before the public or made in private and presented
in photographs or films. In body art, the body often presents the
ways in which humanity as a whole is oppressed or victimized. |
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collage (n)
derived from the French verb coller ("to glue"):
a work of art made by sticking pieces of paper, newsprint, photographs,
fabric, or other items onto a flat backing. Collages often include
painted passages. |
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columnar (adj)
shaped like a column or other rigid, upright support |
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composition (n)
the arrangement of elements, such as space, shapes and colors,
in a work of art |
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Cubism (n)/ Cubist (adj)
the early-20th-century art movement led by Pablo
Picasso (1881-1973) and Georges Braque (1882-1963) that used abstract,
fragmented shapes to depict several views of the same subject
simultaneously, emphasizing the basic geometry or structure of
the subject; of or relating to Cubism
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Cultural Revolution
mass campaign in China that was begun in the mid-1960s by
Chinese Communist party chairman Mao Zedong to renew the spirit
that brought Communism to power in the late 1940s. Allied with
the army and recruited from the nation’s youth, revolutionary
Red Guards attacked elements of culture that were viewed as Western,
intellectual, or middle-class. The revolution resulted in widespread
disorder, violence, and slow economic growth for the country and
lasted until Mao’s death in 1976.
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