Rosenberg - "The American Action Painters"

Rosenberg, Harold. 1952. "The American Action Painters". Art News.

Argument
Abstract Expressionism is a unique break from the past. The work being created is an action occurring on the canvas itself rather than an imagined image reproduced from the brain to the canvas. It is, thus, distinct from Modern Art, which emphasizes the value of the NEW. This emphasis on newness has actually harmed understanding of Abstract Expressionism, because the newness of Modern Art "is determined not by analysis but by social power and pedagogy." The public is indifferent to the content of action painters.