The trend of individual expression has gathered momentum in the course of the history of modern painting, with artistic works becoming evermore representative of their creator’s personality. Although a relatively constant development since Realism and Impressionism, the popularity of this concept peaked with the gestural painting of the post-World War II period, particularly in the works of Jackson Pollock. His pioneering “drip” technique introduced the notion of Action Painting; the canvas became a space with which the artist would actively engage.Featuring works by twenty-seven major representatives, this publication is devoted to the fundamental aspects of gestural abstraction from 1945 to 1965, examining the common traits as well as the differences in painting methods between America and Europe. Essays by acclaimed specialists, alongside introductions to all of the featured artists, make this volume an enlightening presentation of one of the most important artistic movements of the twentieth century. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-2102-8) Exhibition schedule: Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, January 27–May 12, 2008