Spiritual pursuits in abstract expressionistic art and the effect of far east zen buddhist doctrine

The concept of abstract expressionism emerged in America and Europe after 1940 creates a strong influence on modern Western art in a short period of time. The most important feature of this artistic effect, which continues until today and spreads all over the world, is the spiritual content of abstract expressive art. Abstract expressive artists reveal a new language of expression by adding to their artistic understanding, instinctive actions, instantaneous units of emotion, dynamic brush strokes, coincidences and improvisation to their form values such as salt, color, stain, line, surface, void. The construction of the work together with abstract expressionist art becomes the artist's act of painting. Thus, the artwork becomes a matter of experience of the artist. The abstract form of expression revealed in the abstract expressionist work reflects the most direct transfer of the artist's actions that are transformed into instinctive activity as a result of deep thinking. For the abstract expressionist artist, intuition based internal observation is important. Therefore, at the focal point of abstract expressionism art, the artist has his own existence and reality of selfness. The reconstruction of the reality of "selfness" against the tragic events in the Western world and sociological negativities and the discovery of the inner world are on the agenda of abstract artists, in the first half of the 20. Century. In the context of the conditions of the period, pessimistic feelings that create unrest among artists are at the forefront and there is a spiritual quest for the spiritual world. Following the psychoanalytic work of Sigmund Freud and Gustave Jung of abstract expressionist artists has shown that Western art is in a spiritual (psychoanalytic) process of analysis. Following Gustave Jung, artists quit their relationship with the myths of consciousness and primitive Arts and try to capture the pure experiences of spiritual expression in their works. Zen Buddhism and understanding of art offer an alternative way of thinking for artists who focus on pure emotion experiences at this stage. After 1950, close relations were established between abstract expressionist artists and Japanese artists. In Western art, interest in Far Eastern culture increases rapidly. The effects of Zen teachings and calligraphy art are clearly felt in abstract expressionist works.