Neo-expressionist artists at a glance
Jean Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) is the most famous Neo-expressionist artist, best known for Untitled - Skull, (Broad Collection, LA) and Hollywood Africans in Front of the Chinese. Then Anselm Kiefer, Cy Twombly, Julian Schnabel and Georg Baselitz. The list covers 13 artists born between 1913 and 1968 in 5 countries, from Philip Guston to Chris Ofili.
Method. Scope: artists filed under Neo-expressionist in our catalogue. Order: our artist fame ranking. Excluded: artists born after 1955 without a Wikidata identifier. Wikipedia figure: languages with an article, out of our 32.
Key data
Ranked list
1/ 13
American b. Park Slope Neo-Expressionism Wikipedia 29/32
By the early 1980s, Basquiat transitioned from graffiti to canvas, rapidly gaining recognition within the New York art world. Here are some defining works that encapsulate Basquiat’s artistic vision: Untitled (Skull): A powerful representation of mortality and the African diaspora, achieving record-breaking auction prices.
2/ 13
German b. Donaueschingen Neo-Expressionism Wikipedia 23/32
Anselm Kiefer stands as one of the most profound and distinctive voices within Neo-Expressionism, an artistic movement that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a powerful reaction against the austerity of Minimalism and Conceptual Art. Born in Donaueschingen, Germany, in 1945, Kiefer’s very existence is inextricably linked to the aftermath of World War II.
3/ 13
American b. Lexington Abstract Expressionism, Postmodern Wikipedia 21/32
Works like the Ferragosto series (1961) and The Italians (1961) exemplify this period—paintings that seem to exist between calligraphy and chaos, evoking both ancient inscriptions and the immediacy of graffiti.
4/ 13
American b. Brooklyn Neo-Expressionism
Ornamental Despair, The Student of Prague, and Fakires exemplify this early period, showcasing a bold rejection of minimalist austerity in favor of maximalist expression.
5/ 13
German b. Deutschbaselitz Neo-Expressionism Wikipedia 26/32
Born Hans-Georg Bruno Kern on January 23, 1938, in the small German village of Deutschbaselitz, the artist who would become known to the world as Georg Baselitz was a child of profound transition and upheaval.
6/ 13
Canadian-American b. Montreal ['Abstract Expressionism', 'Neo-Expressionism'] Wikipedia 15/32
He later embraced abstraction, becoming a prominent figure in the New York School alongside artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.
7/ 13
British b. Manchester Punk art Wikipedia 10/32
A defining moment in his career arrived in 1998 when he was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize, an achievement that highlighted his ability to spark intense public debate through works such as The Holy Virgin Mary.
8/ 13
b. London
He has since created a vast body of work comprising over 400 images, primarily inspired by nature and travel.
9/ 13
German b. Wilhelmshaven Neo-Expressionism Wikipedia 6/32
Throughout this evolution, however, Fetting consistently explored themes of urban life, human relationships, and personal experiences – subjects that resonated deeply with the anxieties and aspirations of his generation.
10/ 13
British Printmaking, Oil painting
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.
11/ 13
American Neo-expressionism, Glitch art
What sets Sims apart is not just his artistic vision but also his technical background.
Key works · Top 100 works
12/ 13
Brazilian ['Neo-Figurative Art', 'Abstract Art']
The influence of Brazilian Neo- Figurative Art is palpable – a movement known for its psychological intensity and exploration of the human condition.
13/ 13
American b. Long Beach Conceptual Art & Neo-Expressionism Wikipedia 4/32
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.
Best-known works
Chronology
Statistics
| United States | 3 |
|---|---|
| Germany | 3 |
| United Kingdom | 2 |
| United States of America | 1 |
| Canada | 1 |
| 1910s | 1 |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 1 |
| 1930s | 1 |
| 1940s | 3 |
| 1950s | 2 |
| 1960s | 2 |
Index
Jean Michel BasquiatAmerican · 1960–1988Anselm KieferGerman · born 1945Cy TwomblyAmerican · 1928–2011Julian SchnabelAmerican · born 1951Georg BaselitzGerman · 1938–2026Philip GustonCanadian-American · 1913–1980Chris OfiliBritish · born 1968Richard John Spareborn 1951Rainer FettingGerman · born 1949Richard SpareBritish · Anthony SimsAmerican · Thiago BoecanBrazilian · Jennifer BartlettAmerican · 1941–2022FAQ
Jean Michel Basquiat (#1) comes first, ahead of Anselm Kiefer (#2) and Cy Twombly (#3).
Jean Michel Basquiat (#1), Anselm Kiefer (#2), Cy Twombly (#3), Julian Schnabel (#4) and Georg Baselitz (#5).
The museums holding the most key works of this list are Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (2), Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (1) and Albertina Klosterneuburg (1).
1 women are in this ranking: Jennifer Bartlett (#13).
The highest-ranked living artists in this list are Anselm Kiefer (#2), Julian Schnabel (#4), Chris Ofili (#7), Richard John Spare (#8) and Rainer Fetting (#9).
“Kiefer’s technique is characterized by an intense, thick impasto layering.” — from our biography of Anselm Kiefer (#2).
United States: 3 of the 13 artists in this list were born there, then Germany (3) and United Kingdom (2).
Most artists in this list were born in the 1940s (3 of 13), between 1913 and 1968 overall.
The earliest-born artist in this list is Philip Guston (#6), born in 1913.
Our catalogue holds 545 works by these artists.
Guides
Other lists
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