Manifestations of Alienation in Contemporary Art and Its Representations in Abstract Expressionism

Abstract

This research investigates the theme of "Alienation." Since humans cannot simply accept their existence as a mere phenomenon or a taken-for-granted fact, their being is marked by anxiety, evil, worry, nothingness, and "alienation." This latter concept is considered a fundamental feature of human existence. It's a feeling that accompanies the eruption of contradictions, the loss of self, and the difficulty of adapting to others. Consequently, a sense of estrangement or dissatisfaction and alienation from the true self arises. Art is necessary to achieve reconciliation between the self and reality. Existentialists emphasize that a human being remains unfulfilled unless they find themselves in creative work that expresses their identity, role, and position in the world and existence. Artistic creation is an opportunity for self-expression and a possibility to connect with others, which dispels the feeling of alienation. Therefore, contemporary art must have its own treatments that correspond to the course of the era. One of its tools in achieving this was the "Abstract Expressionism" movement.This research is divided into four chapters. The first chapter is dedicated to defining the research problem, which is identified by the following question: What are the manifestations of alienation in contemporary art? Do these manifestations have representations in the products of Abstract Expressionism? The importance of this research lies in its potential contribution to enhancing researchers' knowledge of the most important aspects of alienation and the role and necessity of art in the lives of individuals and society by achieving a kind of reconciliation between the self and reality. This research also aims to Shed light on the manifestations of alienation in contemporary art, reveal the manifestations of alienation in contemporary art and their representations in Abstract Expressionism. It also included the limitations of the research, which were defined as follows: Subject-: Artworks by the artist Mark Rothko. Time-based: 1903-1970 AD. Location-based: The United States of America. Definitions were also made for both linguistic and procedural terms. The second chapter is dedicated to the theoretical framework and previous studies. Chapter Three: Methodology In Chapter Three, the researcher outlines the research methodology, procedures, research community, and sample, which included (2) artworks by the artist Mark Rothko. The research concludes with Chapter Four, which presents the research findings and recommendations.