Action Painting

Action painting is a style where paint is applied spontaneously by dripping, splashing, or smearing onto the canvas instead of meticulous application.

In 1952, art critic Harold Rosenberg introduced the term "action painting" to characterise artists who employed bold, physically engaging gestures, departing from the conventional easel painting. Typically, the viewer can discern broad brushstrokes, drips, splashes, or other indications of the physical involvement in creating the artwork.

The label ‘action painters’ is used for artists active from the 1940s to the early 1960s, emphasising the physical act of painting as an integral aspect of the completed artwork.