Abstract Mixed Media
Beginning in the early 20th century, abstract art became a leading style of modernism. Rather than portray the world in a way that represented reality, as had been the dominating style of Western art in the previous centuries, abstract paintings, prints and sculptures are marked by a shift to geometric forms, gestural shapes and experimentation with color to express ideas, subject matter and scenes.
Although abstract art flourished in the early 1900s, propelled by movements like Fauvism and Cubism, it was rooted in the 19th century. In the 1840s, J.M.W. Turner emphasized light and motion for atmospheric paintings in which concrete details were blurred, and Paul Cézanne challenged traditional expectations of perspective in the 1890s.
Some of the earliest abstract artists — Wassily Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint — expanded on these breakthroughs while using vivid colors and forms to channel spiritual concepts. Painter Piet Mondrian, a Dutch pioneer of the art movement, explored geometric abstraction partly owing to his belief in Theosophy, which is grounded in a search for higher spiritual truths and embraces philosophers of the Renaissance period and medieval mystics. Black Square, a daringly simple 1913 work by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, was a watershed statement on creating art that was free “from the dead weight of the real world,” as he later wrote.
Surrealism in the 1920s, led by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Meret Oppenheim and others, saw painters creating abstract pieces in order to connect to the subconscious. When Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York during the mid-20th century, it similarly centered on the process of creation, in which Helen Frankenthaler’s expressive “soak-stain” technique, Jackson Pollock’s drips of paint, and Mark Rothko’s planes of color were a radical new type of abstraction.
Conceptual art, Pop art, Hard-Edge painting and many other movements offered fresh approaches to abstraction that continued into the 21st century, with major contemporary artists now exploring it, including Anish Kapoor, Mark Bradford, El Anatsui and Julie Mehretu.
Find original abstract paintings, sculptures, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Acrylic, Board, Ballpoint Pen
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Ballpoint Pen
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil Pastel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Ink, Rag Paper, Color, Monotype
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Ink, Rag Paper, Monotype
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Rag Paper, Monotype, Handmade Paper, Ink
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Rag Paper, Monotype, Handmade Paper, Ink
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Rag Paper, Monotype, Handmade Paper, Ink
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Rag Paper, Monotype, Ink
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Rag Paper, Monotype, Ink
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Nylon, Acrylic, Panel, Handmade Paper, Mesh
1980s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic, Graphite
1970s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Charcoal
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Archival Paper, Giclée
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Oil, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Gesso, Oil, Wood Panel, Muslin
Mid-20th Century Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Magazine Paper, Oil
20th Century Abstract Mixed Media
Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Marble
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Plywood, Acrylic
1970s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Resin, Acrylic
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Intaglio, Ink
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Intaglio
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Intaglio
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Intaglio
1960s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Intaglio
Artist Comments
Small organic squares and circles form a densely packed grid. Akin to city blocks, the shapes vary in size and alignment, creating a mesmerizing visual effect. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Acrylic, Handmade Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Acrylic, Wood Panel
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Watercolor, Paper
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor, Pencil, Cotton
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
Loose, expressive brushstrokes depict a contemplative woman hugging her leg. With a minimal palette of acrylic paint and charcoal, artist Sharon Sieben captur...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Charcoal
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Concrete
2010s Abstract Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
This abstract piece showcases a dynamic array of colors, textures, and finishes. Depending on the viewing angle and time of day, it captures and reflects light ...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Subtle blues, greens, and pinks emerge in this abstract painting. What appears as a seemingly neutral composition from a distance reveals itself as an intriguin...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Soothing waters meet the horizon. Layers of paint add a distinct depth to the scene, while simple strokes define the details. Artist Jennifer Hanson uses acryli...
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media
Mixed Media