The Bay Area Figurative Movement

The Bay Area Figurative Movement was an art movement from the mid-20th century, centered in California, where artists shifted away from abstract and minimal styles to focus on realistic, figurative art. Emerging in the 1940s and 1950s, it combined spontaneous brushwork with representational subjects like people and scenes, blending modernist techniques with traditional imagery. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn and David Park sought to express emotion and personal experience through relatable figures and landscapes. This movement marked a significant departure from the prior dominance of abstraction, emphasizing individuality and connection to everyday life.