Epistemology of color field paintings in the art images of World War II from a poststructural perspective

A look at the history of the world reveals that wars, which appear to be the violent response to the insolvencies between states, have caused many changes by making the masses, from individuals to nations, and feel their negative effects. World War II, the war with the most severe destruction, left its direct and indirect traces on everything related to human beings during and after the war. Artists who were affected by the changing geographies, policies and variables of World War II and forced to migrate formed the Abstract Expressionism movement and Color Field Painting within the scope of the movement. The aim of the research is to epistemologically examine the Color Field Painting artists and their works with a poststructural perspective and to evaluate the original works made within the scope of the study. The research was conducted by document analysis method, as one of the types of qualitative research design. The sample of the research consists of the Color Field Painting artists Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb, Kenneth Noland, Clyfford Still, Helen Frankenthaler and a total of 39 works of these artists. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive analysis with an epistemological hermeneutic approach. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the relational connection between Color Field Painting and World War II can be classified in the fields of economic, psychological, geographical, belief and culture according to the impact on the lives of the artists, and that individual readings and practices for Color Field Painting works can be added to these categories. Suggestions have been made to expand the scope of Color Field Painting artists and works to be examined in future research, to conduct studies to reveal other elements affecting Color Field painting, and to create original works with different interpretations in practice.