In his later years Engel-Pak’s abstract expressionism evolved to break the confines of his earlier, more contained compositions. His explosive and intense paintings showed total freedom of expression -blurred soft backgrounds contrasted by powerful deep black strokes and pure light. Heavy layers of oil superimposed with more texture and conflicting colour. Dark ink and charcoal worked in impulsive gestures, enabling subconscious discoveries through unbridled exploration. His work was bold, and expressed a new gestural freedom of expression, witnessed in contemporaries like Jackson Pollock and Pierre Soulages. In these years, Engel-Pak exhibited more and featured both solo, and with contemporaries such as Hans Hartung among others. Through a solo show at the Galerie Ravenstein in Brussels, he became recognized as a pioneer of abstract art in the 20th century.