Abstract Expressionism was significantly influenced by various European art movements, which provided a foundation for its development. Surrealism, with its focus on the unconscious and automatism, encouraged artists to tap into their subconscious minds, leading to the spontaneous and gestural techniques seen in Action Painting. Cubism, with its fragmented forms and multiple perspectives, inspired Abstract Expressionists to deconstruct forms and explore new dimensions of space and composition. Additionally, the psychological theories of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, which were popular among the European avant-garde, deeply influenced the thematic and methodological approaches of Abstract Expressionist artists, pushing them to explore the depths of the human psyche through abstraction.
