Expressionist Artists

Discover contemporary expressionist artists in our curated online collection showcasing work from some of the biggest names in contemporary Expressionism. With artists working across sculpture, painting, photography, mixed media and print, our ever-evolving gallery offers a vast range of Expressionist art for sale.

The work of expressionist artist Andrew Crane is a good place to begin your search. Andrew’s art is unique in that his colour field imagery contains a spiritual depth. Whether distorting reality or focusing purely on the relationship between shape and colour, Andrew’s abstract paintings are powerful examples of contemplative Expressionism. Reminiscent of Abstract Expressionist artist Barnett Newman’s work, Andrew’s paintings meditate on balance, harmony and relativity.

Portrait painter Lee Ellis reinvents images of reality to create striking and moving profiles. Lee’s paintings have a fast pace to them, from the direct nature of his brushwork, to the layering of colour. By distorting the face and reworking the recognisable, Lee gives a voice to his subjects.

Similar in approach but not in aesthetic is the work of Peter Horvath. Peter uses mixed media collage to reinvent the portrait genre. Combining expressive and Surrealist influences, Peter plays with found material to instil his art with narrative.

Hallmarks of Contemporary Expressionist Artists

Expressionist artists are drawn to distorting perspective in order to communicate their inner feelings and the workings of the mind. Rejecting reality and creating a new visual language, Expressionist art is emotive both in the process of creation and the final result. Typically employing a dynamic and vibrant palette, the approach of Expressionists is for the most part gestural, sporadic and visceral. Whether a manifestation of the psyche, as expressed in the work of Anna Sofie Jespersen or a combination of motion and emotion, as demonstrated by Victoria Horkan, Expressionism is characterized by the freedom given to a piece of art.

Van Gogh is most commonly hailed a pioneering Expressionist artist, bridging the gap from Romanticism in the late 19th century. From its conception, Expressionism has been continually adopted, adapted and developed over the course of the last hundred years. Whilst Munch, Klee and Matisse are notably associated with the movement, its reach is endless, and has led the way for some of the most defining art movements of the 20th century, from German Expressionism, to Fauvism, to Abstract Expressionism. The latter characterises much of the Expressionist art we see today. Driven by the likes of Pollock, de Kooning and Rothko, Abstract Expressionist artists followed an automatic approach and sought to evoke sensation. Neo Expressionists thrived in the 1970s, with artists such as Rego and Guston reviving Expressionism to react against Minimalism. Today, contemporary Expressionist Artists continue to work to push the boundaries, to conjure emotion and to create a new perception of reality.