Neo-Expressionism
Neo-Expressionism is a style of late-modernist or early-postmodern painting and sculpture that emerged in the late 1970s, characterized by intense subjectivity and rough handling of materials.
Neo-Expressionism was a reaction against the conceptual and minimalist art of the 1970s. It revived figuration, expressive brushwork, and intense colors, often drawing on historical and mythological themes. Artists sought to convey raw emotion and personal narratives, rejecting the cool detachment of much contemporary art. Key figures include: Julian Schnabel, Georg Baselitz, and Anselm Kiefer. The movement was international in scope and marked a return to more traditional art-making practices, albeit with a postmodern sensibility.
Key Artists
- Jean-Michel Basquiat - Untitled (Skull) (1981)
- Julian Schnabel - The Walk Home
- Francesco Clemente - The Fourteen Stations, No. XII (1981-1982)
- Anselm Kiefer - Margarethe (1981)
- Georg Baselitz - Adler (Eagle) (1977)
