Carolina QuotesBefore 1940 there was relatively little abstract art in America. Most of it was relatively geometric versions of Cubism, or of Mondrian and De Stijl, or of Arp reliefs, and the like. So that when our painting [of the artists of the New York School: Abstract Expressionism first appeared, the critics at once realized that to describe it as 'abstract' would be misleading.. .In America, the word (I suppose taken from Germany) for something highly emotional is 'expressionist', and some critic, either in the New Yorker or the New York Times then called it Abstract Expressionism, meaning that this was a very emotional art, but an abstract one.
Robert Motherwell Connected to the Carolinas
Source
first published in 'Metro', 1962; as cited in Interviews with American Artists, by David Sylvester; Chatto & Windus, London 2001, p. 80
- form
- interview
- work
- 'Interview with David Sylvester', (1960)
- year
- 1960
- locator
- p. 80
Cite this record
“Before 1940 there was relatively little abstract art in Amer…” Robert Motherwell. Carolina Quotes, record CQ-0ADC1C4B48. https://carolinaquotes.com/quote/0adc1c4b48
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