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13 Famous Neo-expressionist Artiști You Should Know

If you remember one Neo-expressionist artist, make it Jean Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), the name behind Untitled (ernok) și Fără titlu - Craniu (Colecția Broad, LA). After that come Anselm Kiefer, Cy Twombly, Julian Schnabel și Georg Baselitz. Our 13 picks go from Philip Guston (born 1913) to Chris Ofili (born 1968), from 5 countries.

Picked by the ArtsDot.com team

How we picked them. We list the artists our catalogue links to Neo-expressionist, from the most famous down. Artists born after 1955 that we cannot yet check on Wikidata are left out. The Wikipedia number shows in how many of our 32 languages Wikipedia writes about them.

  1. Untitled (ernok) de Jean Michel Basquiat1Jean Michel Basquiat
  2. Böhmen liegt am Meer (Bohemia Lies by the Sea) de Anselm Kiefer2Anselm Kiefer
  3. The Rose (IV) de Cy Twombly3Cy Twombly

Quick facts

Neo-expressionist in a nutshell

  • 13Artiști
  • 1913–1968Anii de naștere
  • 5Țări de origine
  • 1Femei
  • 5Artiști contemporani
  • 545Lucrări din catalogul nostru
Orașele cu cele mai multe nașteri
Brooklyn (2), Donaueschingen (1), Lexington (1), Deutschbaselitz (1)
Muzee care dețin cele mai importante opere
Muzeul Solomon R. Guggenheim (2), Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (2), Tate Britain (1), Kunsthaus Zürich (1)
Femeile din această listă
Jennifer Bartlett

Meet them one by one

The 13 famous Neo-expressionist artizii, from most famous down

1of 13

Jean Michel Basquiat 1960–1988

American From Brooklyn Neo-Expressionism On Wikipedia in 29 of 32 languages

Jean Michel Basquiat

Born on December 22, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Haitian father and Puerto Rican mother, his upbringing was a vibrant tapestry woven with diverse cultures and languages—Spanish, English, and French filled his childhood home. This multilingual environment, coupled with his mother’s dedication to artistic pursuits—she enrolled him as a Junior Member of the Brooklyn Museum at age six—laid an early foundation for his creative journey.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

2of 13

Anselm Kiefer născut în 1945

German From Donaueschingen Neo-Expresionism On Wikipedia in 23 of 32 languages

Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer se impune ca una dintre cele mai profunde și distincte voci ale Neoexpresionismului, un curent artistic care a apărut la sfârșitul anilor '70 și începutul anilor '80 ca o reacție puternică împotriva austerității Minimalismului și a Artelor Conceptuale. Născut în Donaueschingen, Germania, în 1945, însăși existența lui Kiefer este indisolubil legată de repercusiiunile celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

3of 13

Cy Twombly 1928–2011

American From Lexington Expresionism Abstract On Wikipedia in 21 of 32 languages

Cy Twombly

Studiile timpurii sub Pierre Daura la Washington and Lee University au fost urmate de experiențe formative la Arts Students League din New York și Black Mountain College, unde a întâlnit figuri cheie precum Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage și Merce Cunningham.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

5of 13

Georg Baselitz 1938–2026

German From Deutschbaselitz Neo-Expresionism On Wikipedia in 26 of 32 languages

Georg Baselitz

Născut Hans-Georg Bruno Kern pe 23 ianuarie 1938, în micul sat german Deutschbaselitz, artistul care avea să fie cunoscut în întreaga lume sub numele de Georg Baselitz a fost un copil al unei perioade de profunde tranziție și agitație.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

6of 13

Philip Guston 1913–1980

From Montréal On Wikipedia in 15 of 32 languages

Philip Guston

Philip Guston, născut Phillip Goldstein în Montreal, Canada, în 1913, a fost un artist complex și controversat, ale cărui opere traversează decenii și stiluri, reflectând o călătorie artistică marcată de transformări profunde.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

7of 13

Chris Ofili născut în 1968

British From Manchester Punk art On Wikipedia in 10 of 32 languages

Chris Ofili

Born in Manchester, United Kingdom, Chris Ofili emerged as a transformative force within the contemporary art landscape, weaving together disparate threads of culture, religion, and materiality. The artist's early development was shaped by his education at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art, periods during which he began to refine a technique characterized by intense layering and textural complexity.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

9of 13

Rainer Fetting născut în 1949

German From Wilhelmshaven Neo-Expresionism On Wikipedia in 6 of 32 languages

Rainer Fetting

Rainer Fetting, născut în Wilhelmshaven, Germania, în 1949, reprezintă o figură esențială în renașterea picturii figurative din sfârșitul secolului XX. Mutându-se la Berlin la începutul anilor 1970, Fetting s-a înscris la Hochschule der Künste (Academia de Arte Frumoase), studiind sub îndrumarea profesorului Hans Jaenisch. În 1977, Fetting a co-fondat Galerie am Moritzplatz alături de Helmut Middendorf, Bernd Zimmer, Salomé, Anne Jud și Berthold Schepers.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

10of 13

Richard Spare

British Printmaking, Oil painting

Richard Spare

Richard John Spare, born in Chelmsford in 1951, embarked on a journey that would establish him as a pivotal figure in British printmaking and a celebrated artist in his own right. Following college, Spare's apprenticeship with Thomas Ross & Son proved invaluable.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

11of 13

Anthony Sims

American Neo-expressionism, Glitch art

Anthony Sims

Anthony Sims, born in Southaven, Mississippi in 1998, is a contemporary artist whose work embodies a fascinating tension—a collision between raw emotional expression and meticulous technical skill. His early work demonstrated a “raw and primitive” quality, as noted by the Pinch Journal in 2018, but this rawness was always tempered by a clear sense of control and composition.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

12of 13

Thiago Boecan

Brazilian ['Neo-Figurative Art', 'Abstract Art']

Thiago Boecan

Thiago Morales Boemeke, known as Thiago Boecan, is a rising figure in the Brazilian contemporary art scene, captivating audiences with his exploration of emptiness and the human form. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1995, Boecan’s artistic journey began with a formal education at Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado, followed by a degree in Graphic Design from Centro Universitário Belas Artes de São Paulo.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

13of 13

Jennifer Bartlett 1941–2022

American From Long Beach Conceptual Art & Neo-Expressionism On Wikipedia in 4 of 32 languages

Jennifer Bartlett

Born Jennifer Losch in 1941 in the coastal environs of Long Beach, California, her early life was steeped in a unique duality of influences. Bartlett’s intellectual journey took her from the experimental atmosphere of Mills College in Oakland to the rigorous halls of the Yale School of Art and Architecture.

Works to know · Their 100 best-known works

Pictures worth knowing

Famous Neo-expressionist works to recognise

  1. Untitled (ernok) de Jean Michel Basquiat

    Untitled (ernok)

    Jean Michel Basquiat

  2. Böhmen liegt am Meer (Bohemia Lies by the Sea) de Anselm Kiefer

    Böhmen liegt am Meer (Bohemia Lies by the Sea)

    Anselm Kiefer

    1996

  3. The Rose (IV) de Cy Twombly

    The Rose (IV)

    Cy Twombly

    2008

  4. Ornamental Despair de Julian Schnabel

    Ornamental Despair

    Julian Schnabel

  5. Der hirte de Georg Baselitz

    Der hirte

    Georg Baselitz

  6. To Fellini de Philip Guston

    To Fellini

    Philip Guston

    1958

  7. The Holy Virgin Mary de Chris Ofili

    The Holy Virgin Mary

    Chris Ofili

    1996 · MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City

  8. Puffin Pair de Richard John Spare

    Puffin Pair

    Richard John Spare

    2010

When it happened

Neo-expressionist, step by step

  1. 1958
    To Fellini de Philip Guston
    To FelliniPhilip Guston
  2. 1983
    Selbst mit Palette de Rainer Fetting
    Selbst mit PaletteRainer Fetting
  3. 1991
    One A.M de Jennifer Bartlett
    One A.MJennifer Bartlett
  4. 1996
    Böhmen liegt am Meer (Bohemia Lies by the Sea) de Anselm Kiefer
    Böhmen liegt am Meer (Bohemia Lies by the Sea)Anselm Kiefer
  5. 1996
    The Holy Virgin Mary de Chris Ofili
    The Holy Virgin MaryChris Ofili
  6. 2008
    The Rose (IV) de Cy Twombly
    The Rose (IV)Cy Twombly
  7. 2010
    Puffin Pair de Richard John Spare
    Puffin PairRichard John Spare

Fun figures

The numbers behind the list

Țara de origine
Statele Unite ale Americii3
Germania3
United Kingdom2
SUA1
Canada1
Deceniul de naștere
1910s1
1920s1
1930s1
1940s3
1950s2
1960s2
Muzee care dețin operele lor esențiale
Muzeul Solomon R. Guggenheim2
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao2
Tate Britain1
Kunsthaus Zürich1
Smithsonian American Art Museum1
Tate Modern1
MoMA - Museum of Modern Art1
Dortmunder U1

Just the names

List of 13 famous Neo-expressionist artizii to know

  1. 1Jean Michel BasquiatJean Michel BasquiatAmerican · 1960–1988
  2. 2Anselm KieferAnselm KieferGerman · născut în 1945
  3. 3Cy TwomblyCy TwomblyAmerican · 1928–2011
  4. 4Julian SchnabelJulian SchnabelAmerican · născut în 1951
  5. 5Georg BaselitzGeorg BaselitzGerman · 1938–2026
  6. 6Philip GustonPhilip Guston1913–1980
  7. 7Chris OfiliChris OfiliBritish · născut în 1968
  8. 8Richard John SpareRichard John Sparenăscut în 1951
  9. 9Rainer FettingRainer FettingGerman · născut în 1949
  10. 10Richard SpareRichard SpareBritish ·
  11. 11Anthony SimsAnthony SimsAmerican ·
  12. 12Thiago BoecanThiago BoecanBrazilian ·
  13. 13Jennifer BartlettJennifer BartlettAmerican · 1941–2022

Good questions

What people ask about Neo-expressionist

  • Who is the most famous Neo-expressionist artist?

    Jean Michel Basquiat (#1) is first in this ranking, followed by Anselm Kiefer (#2) and Cy Twombly (#3).

  • Who are the 5 most famous Neo-expressionist artizii?

    Jean Michel Basquiat (#1), Anselm Kiefer (#2), Cy Twombly (#3), Julian Schnabel (#4) și Georg Baselitz (#5).

  • When were most Neo-expressionist artizii born?

    Most artizii in this list were born in the 1940s (3 of 13), between 1913 and 1968 overall.

  • Which women Neo-expressionist artizii are the most famous?

    1 women are in this ranking: Jennifer Bartlett (#13).

  • Which country produced the most Neo-expressionist artizii?

    Statele Unite ale Americii: 3 of the 13 artizii in this list were born there, then Germania (3) și United Kingdom (2).

  • Who was the first Neo-expressionist artist?

    The earliest-born artist in this list is Philip Guston (#6), born in 1913.

  • Where are the great works of Neo-expressionist art today?

    The museums holding the most key works of this list are Muzeul Solomon R. Guggenheim (2), Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (2) și Tate Britain (1).

  • Who are the most famous living Neo-expressionist artizii?

    The highest-ranked living artizii in this list are Anselm Kiefer (#2), Julian Schnabel (#4), Chris Ofili (#7), Richard John Spare (#8) și Rainer Fetting (#9).

  • What techniques did Neo-expressionist artizii use?

    “Tehnica lui Kiefer este caracterizată printr-un impasto intens și gros.” — from our biography of Anselm Kiefer (#2).

  • Which city produced the most Neo-expressionist artizii?

    Brooklyn: 2 of the artizii in this list were born there.

  • Can I order a painting by a famous Neo-expressionist artist?

    Our catalogue holds 545 works by these artizii.

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