Action Painting meets Eastern Philosophy
In Western art history, Gestural Abstraction or Gestural Painting is often linked to the physical act of painting—the “Action Painting” of the New York School. My approach embraces this physical energy but grounds it in Eastern philosophy. For me, the gesture is not just a movement of the hand; it is the channeling of Qi (Life Energy) onto the paper. The brush becomes a seismograph of the moment, recording speed, rhythm, and inner state without the filter of the intellect.
1. Gestural Landscapes
Nature’s Energy: These works do not depict a specific place, but the feeling of a landscape. I use ink and pastels on handmade paper to capture the raw forces of nature—wind, rain, and the growth of mountains. It is landscape painting reduced to its energetic essence.
2. Zen Brut & Art Brut
Raw Power: This series represents the unpolished, raw side of my work. Inspired by both Western Art Brut and the roughness of Zen aesthetics, these images on Yupo paper are bold and unapologetic. They accept the “happy accident” and find beauty in the chaotic and the unfiltered.
3. Organic & Constructivist Forms in Gestural Abstraction
Structure vs. Growth: This section in gestural abstraction explores the tension between organic growth (The Dao of Flora) and constructive strictness. Whether it is abstract blossoms or geometric compositions based on calligraphic rules, the focus is always on the dynamic balance of the elements.
4. Abstract Calligraphy as Gestural Abstraction
Writing the Void: Based on the laws of Chinese calligraphy, these works strip away the meaning of the characters to focus purely on the stroke. It is writing without words—a visual language that speaks directly through rhythm and form.
5. Myth & Motion: The Dragon Series
The Symbol of Change: In Daoist philosophy, the Dragon is not a monster, but a symbol of change and fluid energy. This series starts with sketchy dragons and evolves into pure motion. It is a study of dynamic lines and the power of transformation.
6. Early Experiments: Series I & II
Western Ink on Photo Paper This selection marks the beginning of the journey. Working with Western ink and Indian ink on glossy photographic paper created a unique resistance and flow. These early experiments laid the foundation for the later series, combining Western materials with the emerging principles of Chinese calligraphy.
East meets West
While visually reminiscent of artists like Franz Kline or Mark Rothko, the theoretical foundation of these works lies in the East. If you want to understand the concept of “Qi” in painting, I recommend my articles on Asian Art Theory.
Collecting the Art
Most of these works are available for purchase, either as unique originals or as museum-quality fine art prints. You can explore the currently available collection in my online studios:
FriedrichZettl.com (Main Shop)
Saatchi Art (International Gallery)
About Gestural Painting
Gestural abstraction, aka action painting, is a form of abstract art from the 1940s and 1950s. It is characterized by the artist’s bodily gestures and movements, which are captured in the resulting artwork. The focus is on the process of painting and the physical act of creating the art rather than the end product.
Gestural abstraction unquestionably refers to the New York School of Painters, which included artists such as Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, and Clyfford Still. These artists created works of expressive and emotional kind, despite being intellectual or objective. They tried to convey the energy, movement, and emotion of the act of painting itself
Jackson Pollock and Co.
One of the most famous painters of gestural abstraction is Jackson Pollock, known for his drip paintings. Pollock dripped, splashed, and poured paint onto the canvas, moving around it and even walking on it to create a sense of movement and energy in the painting. His technique, is called “drip painting”, was considered revolutionary at the time and is furthermore still widely recognized as one of the most iconic styles of gestural abstraction.<br>Another famous artist associated with gestural abstraction is Willem de Kooning. His work also focuses on movement. De Kooning’s paintings are characterized by bold brushstrokes and a more defined structure.