Back to In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting
The Museum of Modern Art

In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting

Take an in-depth, hands-on look at materials, techniques, and approaches to making abstract paintings. Through studio demonstrations and gallery walkthroughs, you’ll form a deeper understanding of what a studio practice means and how ideas develop from close looking. Readings and other resources provide a broader cultural, intellectual, and historical context around the era when these artists were active. The artists featured in the course—Willem de Kooning, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin, Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, Ad Reinhardt, and Mark Rothko—serve as points of departure for your own abstract paintings. Learners who wish to participate in the optional studio exercises may need to purchase art supplies. A list of suggested materials is included in the first module.

Status: Aesthetics
Status: Social Impact
BeginnerCourse27 hours

Featured reviews

KG

5.0Reviewed Apr 16, 2019

I have thoroughly enjoyed doing this course. It has proved useful in boosting my confidence in studying, as well as providing me with inspiration for my own work, both in painting and ceramics.

DD

5.0Reviewed Sep 9, 2023

Excellent course with a good combination of artists and meaningful details of their work. Truly enjoyed learning about this period at my own speed. Thank you for having it available for no cost.

MB

5.0Reviewed Mar 27, 2020

This course was very informative and interesting. I loved the in studio sessions which gave you an opportunity to practice a technique that you had just learned about. Super fun course!

MM

5.0Reviewed May 18, 2018

I enjoyed every class, as an artist from Egypt, It was great to have an experince to study about NY art school with MOMA's videos. I hope MOMA will issue more and more courses later.

AP

5.0Reviewed May 16, 2017

Excellent course which taught me how to appreciate abstract paintings. I also learned about some of the prominent painters, techniques and materials of the Abstract Expressionist movement.

DJ

5.0Reviewed Jun 21, 2020

This is the best online art course I have ever done. The practical element of it was invaluable. Thank you MoMA and Corey D'Augustine for putting it together and making it available for free!

BB

5.0Reviewed Oct 1, 2020

Even though I'm not an oil painter for many reason, I really enjoyed adapting my acrylic paint. Even though I don't use oil paint I really enjoyed learning so much about the artists

ET

5.0Reviewed Jun 8, 2020

Fantastic! Cory was both educational and pleasant to watch. His instruction was concise but not dogmatic, and he really helped me appreciate some of the artists I was less familiar with!

B

5.0Reviewed Sep 7, 2020

I’ve learnt so much about Abstract Expressionism and have a huge new appreciation for these artists. This course was a great tool and distraction during lockdown, would highly recommend.

AA

5.0Reviewed Oct 3, 2019

Well-designed course; interesting material, including optional readings. The studio demonstrations and accompanying exercises were very helpful to my own art work. Excellent overall; thank you.

NN

5.0Reviewed Jul 18, 2017

I felt that I learned so much on this course. It gave me a deeper understanding of the works of each artist when I knew more of their process and had the chance to use these skills on my own.

YR

5.0Reviewed Feb 24, 2021

This course provided great tools for examining and understanding the artists covered. I'm able to take these tools and the lexicon I learned and apply them to other artists and their practices.

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 656

Callie Gauzer
5.0
Reviewed Feb 24, 2019
Amy
5.0
Reviewed Oct 3, 2019
Donald Bruce Charles
5.0
Reviewed Jun 7, 2020
Nikka
5.0
Reviewed Jul 18, 2017
Karl Deacon Greene
5.0
Reviewed Apr 17, 2019
Cheryl Kirsten
5.0
Reviewed Feb 18, 2019
Peter Rigby
5.0
Reviewed Jun 19, 2017
Luis G Galvez
2.0
Reviewed Mar 27, 2018
Marie Chew
5.0
Reviewed May 16, 2020
Yasmin Drummond
5.0
Reviewed May 17, 2020
Sarrah Shapley
5.0
Reviewed Sep 26, 2021
Maureen Walsh
5.0
Reviewed Apr 13, 2021
Kate Garrison
5.0
Reviewed Jun 18, 2017
Diane Beaver
5.0
Reviewed Jul 26, 2020
Nina Merrick
5.0
Reviewed Jul 27, 2020
Maura Satchell
5.0
Reviewed Jul 14, 2017
Catherine Forrest
5.0
Reviewed Feb 22, 2020
Niki Banffy-Nesbitt
5.0
Reviewed May 23, 2020
Elizabeth Merriman
5.0
Reviewed Nov 5, 2019
Arvydas Gaiciunas (Retne)
5.0
Reviewed Jan 9, 2019