There followed, starting in 1927, a series of trips to Spain and southern France among other places as well as studying abroad in Paris, where he came into contact with Parisian avant-garde painting.
Through an examination of the works of Matisse, Picasso, and Dalí as well as his friendship with surrealist painter Serge Brignoni, he developed his own surrealist-influenced painting style.
In an effort to gain recognition for the modern, abstract-concrete and surrealist painting in Switzerland, Abt and several other painters from Basel founded the anti-fascist "Gruppe 33" (Group 33).
Since the 1950s, Abt has undertaken a variety of artistic projects: in addition to canvas painting, murals and stained glass for public buildings, as well as Maiolica ceramics, and mosaics.
While his early works were marked by impressionist influences and even tonal painting, he developed his own surrealist-influenced style that can be recognized by object alienation and fantastic picture elements.