Jackson Pollock_ A revolution in American Art

Jackson Pollock
A revolution in American Art
Abstract Expressionism
Until the twentieth century, most paintings were representational. This means that artists
“represented” their subjects in a way that was realistic and recognizable. However, during the
first half of the twentieth century, artists like Jackson Pollock started to explore other methods
of representation.
When he first began painting, Jackson Pollock painted representational objects such as people
and animals. However, he is famous for helping to create a whole new art movement called
Abstract Expressionism. An “abstract” image is one where the subject is not represented
realistically. Instead, the artist uses color and shapes to suggest the most general qualities of
the subject. “Expressionism” is a kind of art that expresses feelings and thoughts. Abstract
Expressionism is art that shows emotions and ideas through non-representational forms.
In Pollock’s later and most famous works, there is no recognizable subject. His art works are
large surfaces of canvas completely covered in different colors of paint. However, Pollock did
not start out as a revolutionary painter. He developed the artistic process he became famous
for over many years.
Jackson Pollock
Stenographic Figure
1942
Jackson Pollock
Moon Woman
1942
Jackson Pollock
Blue (Moby Dick)
1943
Jackson Pollock
Male and Female
1942
Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming in nineteen twelve. He grew up in the states of
Arizona and California. Pollock later said that the wide-open land of these western areas greatly
influenced his expansive artwork. In 1930 he moved east to New York City where he studied at
the Art Students League. There, Pollock spent a few years studying with the artist Thomas Hart
Benton who painted images of every day American life. Pollock’s early works are similar to his
teacher’s kind of painting. However, Pollock slowly left this traditional art education behind.
Pollock's Influences
Pollock’s work had many other influences. For example, he liked a group of Mexican painters
who made murals. Murals are large images that the artists paint directly onto a wall. Some of
these painters were working in New York City in the nineteen thirties, so Pollock was able to
see them work. Pollock borrowed several methods and ideas from these artists. They included
the use of large canvases, the method of freely applying paint and honoring old and new
traditions.
Pollock was also influenced by the Spanish artist Miro. Miro was part of a movement of surrealist
painters. Surrealist artists thought that true art comes from a part of the mind called the
unconscious. The unconscious controls the area of the mind that produces dreams. Pollock
agreed with these artists that the unconscious mind was an important force in creating art.
Also, when he was in his late twenties, Pollock suffered a mental breakdown. It was caused in
part by depression and dependence on alcohol. As a result, he was treated by a Jungian
psychoanalyst. This is a special kind of expert in emotional health who works to understand the
unconscious mind, dreams, and emotions. Pollock was influenced by this kind of investigation of
human relations and emotions. This “inside world” would become the subject of his paintings.
Joan Miro
Joan Miro
Pollock's Artist Revolution
In 1944, Pollock married Lee Krasner who was also a skilled Abstract Expressionist painter. The
next year they moved to East Hampton, a small town on Long Island in the state of New York.
The couple wanted to get away from the busy life of New York City. In this country environment
they could enjoy nature and have more time to work on their art.
Next to their house Pollock set up a studio building where he could create his artwork. In this
large studio Pollock created the paintings that would make him famous.During these years
Jackson Pollock started to paint in a completely new way. He created art that was very
physical. In fact, his method is sometimes called “action painting”. Most artists painted on a
surface that stood upright or vertical. But Pollock put his large canvases on the floor so that he
could move around all four sides of his work. He also used very liquid paints so that he could
easily drop the paint onto his canvases. This “dripping” method allowed him to make energetic
works.
His paintings are explosions of curving lines, shapes and colors. In his art you can see every
movement that his arm made. You can see how he had to move his body around the canvas.
Videos of Pollock painting show this process, which looks like a painterly dance.
The Pollock Process
Unlike other artists, Jackson Pollock did not plan the way he wanted his paintings to look. Many
artists plan their works by making small drawings before painting. Pollock developed what he
called a “direct method,” applying the paint directly onto an empty canvas. He painted by
following his immediate thoughts and emotions. Pollock combined careful movement with exact
color and line. Though his paintings appear accidental, they required careful control.
Jackson said “Sometimes I use a brush but often prefer using a stick. Sometimes I pour the
paint straight out of the can. I like to use a dripping, fluid paint. A method of painting is a
natural growth out of a need. I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them.”
As Pollock said, he wanted to create art that was a visual representation of the motion and
energy of his “inside world.” He was once asked why he did not paint pictures of objects people
could identify. He answered that if you wanted to see a flower, you could go look at a real one.
He said that what interested him was not outside objects.
Pollock’s works were both praised and criticized. His paintings were in several shows in
galleries in the middle 1940's. However, Pollock did not produce his fully abstract “drip”
paintings until later. In 1950, the public first saw these works at Betty Parson’s Gallery in New
York. Some art critics said this was one of the best shows of the year and that Pollock was one
of the greatest painters in America. Others did not understand his work. One critic said that
Pollock’s art showed chaos -- complete disorder without any method.
Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock
Number 11
1952
Jackson Pollock
Number 32
1950
Jackson Pollock
Number 8
In Reflection
Today, Pollock’s works sell for millions of dollars. But only one painting sold at this show. It was
a famous work called “Lavender Mist”. This painting now hangs in the National Gallery of Art in
Washington, D.C. “Lavender Mist” represents perfectly what was so interesting about Pollock’s
work. The canvas is more than two meters tall and almost three meters long. The entire surface
is covered in small rivers of white, black, grey, yellow, brown and pink paint. These colors and
lines create a painting that is full of visual energy.
Interestingly, there is no lavender, or light purple, color paint in this work. One of Pollock’s
friends suggested the name because the many other colors of paint created an atmospheric
effect that looked like lavender mist. Usually, Pollock would simply name his paintings with a
number and a date. He did not want the titles to explain to viewers what to see when they
looked at his work.
With paintings like “Lavender Mist” Jackson Pollock helped introduce the world to a whole new
way of painting and thinking about art. Sadly, he did not live very long as he died in a car
accident in 1956 at the age of 44.
Jackson Pollock contributed to art history in a profound way.
He left us with brilliant masterpieces that revolutionized American Art.
detail
Jackson Pollock
Lavender Mist
1950
detail