Gestural abstraction in the work of Australian painters was little understood and often ignored or misconstrued in the local Australian context during the tendency‟s international high point from 1947-1963. Distinguished by the mark of the artist evident in the finished work, gestural abstraction included a number of international variations such as European tachisme or l’art informel, l’art brut, matière or matter painting and American Abstract Expressionism. This thesis will examine the reasons for the lack of significance attributed to gestural abstraction by Australian art critics and art historians by taking a unique analytical approach which is developed in the first half of the thesis. This approach draws on interdisciplinary sources to establish a framework for repositioning examples of Australian painting which would be better appreciated as examples of gestural abstraction. The work of Australian artist Albert Tucker produced during the relevant period will be the main focus in the artist chapters. This thesis will demonstrate that certain art works can benefit from a reclassification which brings out qualities which enhance the perceived significance of the work. Such reconfiguration of elements can lead to better informed reception. Art historical approaches have not as a rule focused on aesthetic theory, concentrating rather on art historical precedent. This can involve overlooking the relevant social and historical aspects of the work‟s making and reception in favour of dominant styles favoured at the time or location of reception. Once the critical precedent is set for an artist‟s work of a particular period, it can be difficult to revise; such is the role of precedent in art criticism of certain periods, particularly within Australia at the time of this study. What is deemed the relevant art historical precedent for any given work in part determines how the work is received. However, this is rarely acknowledged. Instead, art historical classifications eventually are treated as objective properties of the work. Aesthetic theory, in contrast, reveals the contingency of such classifications. In addition to philosophical aesthetics, this thesis will draw on sociological field theory to account for the dynamic process through which aesthetic categorisations become active. This reveals the relevant contextual elements necessary to confirm the appropriate category, enabling optimal placement of the work to best appreciate its historical significance. A robust analytical methodology is developed on the basis of which art historical accounts can be evaluated. This involves examining the Australian art historiography and curatorial practices which led to the perception of these works in categories other than those in which they were produced and initially exhibited by the artist.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Art History, 201
