Revolutions in Painting
from the guide Modern Art and Ideas 7: 1950–1969

Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler were part of a group of artists known as the abstract expressionist. They changed the nature of painting with their large, abstract canvases, energetic and gestural lines, and new artistic processes.

Color and Environment
from the guide Modern Art and Ideas 7: 1950–1969

The artists Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman are also considered Abstract Expressionists. This lesson compares two of their large, abstract, colorful canvases and examines some of the ideas that informed their artistic processes.

Transforming Everyday Objects
from the guide Modern Art and Ideas 7: 1950–1969

As the economic prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s brought about an increase in consumerism and the development of the media and advertising, artists began to look for inspiration in the world around them. This lesson looks at two sources of inspiration for artists: everyday objects and popular culture.

Art and Politics
from the guide Modern Art and Ideas 7: 1950–1969

The years from the 1950s to the 1970s were turbulent times. Many artists at this time represented political events in their work. This lesson looks at the work of three artists whose work represents ideas and specific events important to the political and social atmosphere of this time.

Artist’s Choice: People
from the guide Modern Art and Ideas 7: 1950–1969

This lesson examines three different representations of women by artists, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein and Richard. Examining the radically different artistic styles of these artists and considers the stereotypes these works present.