J A C K S O N P O L L O C KJ A C K S O N P O L L O C Kthe greatest American painter?the greatest American painter?

A b s t r a c t E x p r e s s i o n i s mA b s t r a c t E x p r e s s i o n i s m

Jackson PollockJackson Pollock 1912-19561912-1956

BeganBegan painting painting in 1929in 1929 underunder tutorship of tutorship of RegionalistRegionalist painter painter Thomas Hart BentonThomas Hart Benton..

InfluencedInfluenced by the by the Mexican muralist paintersMexican muralist painters (Diego Rivera) and (Diego Rivera) and NavajoNavajo IndiansIndians..

By the mid 1940’s he was painting in a By the mid 1940’s he was painting in a completely abstract manner.completely abstract manner.

His His ‘drip and splash’ style‘drip and splash’ style which he is best which he is best known for known for emergedemerged with some abruptness in with some abruptness in 19471947..

An An unhappy personal lifeunhappy personal life (alcoholic) and (alcoholic) and premature death have contributed to his premature death have contributed to his legendary status.legendary status.

Diego Rivera, Man at Crossroads painted on the Rockefeller Center (built 1929), painted 1934

Depiction of Lenin, communism… on unveiling it was almost immediately ordered to be painted over.

Naked Man with Knife, 1938-40

The Moon Woman Cuts the Circle, 1943

Influences --> German expressionism, Kandinsky’s lyricism, Picasso’s subject and deconstruction of form. Pollock’s early work concerned with big subjects – morally loaded themes, that were often heavyweight and tragic – on a grand, monumental scale. Remember that these artists had survived 2 world wars and were just emerging from the depression of the 1930s. There is in Pollock’s early work a spirit of revolt and a belief in freedom of expression.

Jackson Pollock:Jackson Pollock: The She-Wolf The She-Wolf (1943) Oil, gouache, and plaster on canvas (1943) Oil, gouache, and plaster on canvas

The Moon WomanThe Moon Woman (1942)(1942)

Based on North American Indian Myths.

Moon Woman connects the moon with the feminine and shows the creative, slashing power of the female psyche.

Fusion of colours and an expressionist feeling of urgency that is communicated.

Otherwise benefit from a response made on a primitive level.

Influences:

Early Pollock,Early Pollock, The Moon WomanThe Moon Woman (1942) (1942) and and The She-WolfThe She-Wolf (1943) (1943)

Picasso, Surrealist Art, Indian sand paintings (land paintings using coloured sand.)

In In 19451945 Pollock moved from New York to Long Island in Pollock moved from New York to Long Island in order to order to escape the city and to work without ‘distractions’escape the city and to work without ‘distractions’..

After this date the ‘mythic’ titles of the early forties seem After this date the ‘mythic’ titles of the early forties seem

to give way to to give way to titlestitles which which evoke the natural worldevoke the natural world..

Pollock-Krasner Pollock-Krasner House in Springs, House in Springs, New YorkNew York

Jackson Pollock: Full Fathom Five (1947) Oil on canvas with nails, tacks, buttons, coins, cigarettes, etc, 129 x 76.5 cm

Pollock’s work in regards to style has many elements.

• Subject - his later works are fairly void of figurative subject, but lend more to gestural action. His early subjects tended to focus first on the American myth of the ‘homesteader’ as well as myths of psychic energies.

• Brushstrokes - it is obvious and ‘painterly’, the role of the artist is straightforward rather than transparent. With Pollock’s work, you know that the artist’s hand is present.

Jackson Pollock:Jackson Pollock: Eyes in the Heat Eyes in the Heat (1946)(1946)

Oil on canvas, Peggy Guggenheim Oil on canvas, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice Collection, Venice

Jackson Pollock, Jackson Pollock, Going WestGoing West, (1934-1935), (1934-1935)

Notice the differences between his early work (above) and the work of his formative years (left). What are they?

Jackson Pollock: Jackson Pollock: Shimmering Shimmering SubstanceSubstance

1946; Oil on canvas, 1946; Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in; The 30 x 24 in; The

Museum of Modern Museum of Modern Art, New York Art, New York

Jackson Jackson Pollock: Pollock: Full Full Fathom Five Fathom Five (detail)(detail) (1947)(1947)

Jackson Pollock: Jackson Pollock: CathedralCathedral (1947) (1947)Enamel and aluminium paint on canvasEnamel and aluminium paint on canvas

Pollock’s work in regards to style has many elements.

• Colour - Pollock tends to use a variety of colour, in his works but his palette tends to vary in tone in individual works.

• Form - Pollock’s early works and formative works vary in form from observational landscapes to surreal biomorphism. His mature works abandon form in place of composition and process.

• Emotion & Violence - Very physically involved work, as shown in the final product. Comes across a quite violent.

• Personal - Intense emotional directness that is meant to confront the viewer, using personal commentary to convey the ‘inner life through art.

Jackson Pollock:Jackson Pollock: Number 8, 1949 Number 8, 1949 (detail) (1949); Oil, (detail) (1949); Oil, enamel, and aluminium paint on canvas; Neuberger enamel, and aluminium paint on canvas; Neuberger

Museum, State University of New York Museum, State University of New York

Pollock preferred the fluidity of Pollock preferred the fluidity of commercial enamel house commercial enamel house paintspaints to the more viscous texture of traditional oils. This to the more viscous texture of traditional oils. This choice choice allowed him to weaveallowed him to weave a more intricate a more intricate pictorial pictorial webweb, flinging swirls of paint onto the canvas. Some critics , flinging swirls of paint onto the canvas. Some critics thought that he had no control, thought that he had no control, he argued that with he argued that with practice one can predict the way the paint will fallpractice one can predict the way the paint will fall..

Pollock wrote of his Pollock wrote of his technique:technique:

“I continue to get further away from the usual painter's tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impasto with sand, broken glass and other foreign matter added.”

Process

Jackson Pollock: Jackson Pollock: Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (1950) (1950) Enamel on canvas; 266 x 525cm Enamel on canvas; 266 x 525cm

Lee Krasner, Pollock’s partner, noted that his new work “seemed like monumental drawing, or maybe painting with the immediacy of drawing –some new category.”

Jackson Pollock: Jackson Pollock: Number 1 (Lavender Mist)Number 1 (Lavender Mist) (1950); (1950); Oil, enamel, and aluminium paint on canvas; 221 x 300 cmOil, enamel, and aluminium paint on canvas; 221 x 300 cm

                                                                            

Jackson Pollock, Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) (detail), 1950, National Gallery of Art, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1976.37.1

As with all of Pollock’s mature works the As with all of Pollock’s mature works the paint works in paint works in layerslayers, with each over-lapping and building off the next. , with each over-lapping and building off the next. The The lines create a sense of actionlines create a sense of action that keep your eyes that keep your eyes moving over the canvas which moving over the canvas which forces the viewer to follow forces the viewer to follow his movementhis movement..

Jackson Jackson Pollock: Pollock:

Number 1 Number 1 (Lavender (Lavender

Mist) Mist) (1950) (1950) (detail) (detail) 19501950

"It is impossible to make a forgery of "It is impossible to make a forgery of Jackson Pollock's work," Time magazine Jackson Pollock's work," Time magazine critic Robert Hughes claimed in 1982. critic Robert Hughes claimed in 1982.

Pollock used the patterns caused by the Pollock used the patterns caused by the separation and marbling of one enamel wet separation and marbling of one enamel wet in another, to produce an infinity of tonesin another, to produce an infinity of tones. .

Art critic Art critic Clement GreenbergClement Greenberg, Pollock's , Pollock's friend and a champion of Abstract friend and a champion of Abstract Expressionism, Expressionism, suggested the name suggested the name Lavender MistLavender Mist for the painting originally for the painting originally called called Number 1, 1950Number 1, 1950. Greenberg's . Greenberg's more more evocative title conveys the painting's strong evocative title conveys the painting's strong atmospheric effectatmospheric effect, though there is no , though there is no lavender on the canvas. The painting is lavender on the canvas. The painting is composed primarily of white, blue, yellow, composed primarily of white, blue, yellow, gray, umber, rosy pink, and black paint. gray, umber, rosy pink, and black paint.

Number 1 (Lavender Mist) (1950)

The The compositioncomposition is is defined bydefined by: : • Sweeping linesSweeping lines of of drippeddripped and and splattered paintsplattered paint. . • This forms a This forms a threadlike netthreadlike net that sweeps across and that sweeps across and fillsfills the entire the entire canvascanvas. . • Pollock's Pollock's initial black traceries anchor the paintinginitial black traceries anchor the painting by establishing rhythmic unity.by establishing rhythmic unity.

Extraction of Extraction of black paint black paint pattern from pattern from Lavender MistLavender Mist

Total physical Total physical involvement of the artist involvement of the artist defines this "action defines this "action painting." Pollock spread painting." Pollock spread canvas on the floor in his canvas on the floor in his barn studio, or on the barn studio, or on the ground outside, and then ground outside, and then splashed, dripped, and splashed, dripped, and poured colour straight poured colour straight from cans of commercial from cans of commercial house paint. house paint. It was It was essential, he said, to essential, he said, to "walk around it, work "walk around it, work from all four sides, and from all four sides, and be in the painting, be in the painting, similar to the Indian similar to the Indian sand painters of the sand painters of the West."West."

By placing his canvases on the ground Pollock changed By placing his canvases on the ground Pollock changed the way that the artist worked on art. the way that the artist worked on art. His balanceHis balance has has changedchanged and he starts and he starts toto paint from the paint from the hipships rather rather than than from the shoulderfrom the shoulder..

Navajo sand painting, like Pollock the artist works on the ground,

looking down on painting rather than at the painting to become more a part of it. He said, “I feel nearer, more a part of the painting, since this way I can walk round it, work

from the four sides and literally be in the painting. This is akin to the

methods of the Indian sand painters of the West.”

Pollock’s Pollock’s HandprintsHandprints::• Serve as a Serve as a primitive stamp of ownership and primitive stamp of ownership and creativitycreativity..• They also They also emphasize the flatness of the canvasemphasize the flatness of the canvas, , thus underscoring the non-illusionistic nature of thus underscoring the non-illusionistic nature of Pollock's art. Pollock's art.

Pollock's daring abstract work Pollock's daring abstract work legitimized the convergence and legitimized the convergence and mastery of chance, intuition, and mastery of chance, intuition, and control. A layered tangle of control. A layered tangle of paintpaint generate generate beauty and order out of beauty and order out of seemingly random gesturesseemingly random gestures. .

The painting is the result of both split-The painting is the result of both split-second decision making and second decision making and happenstance, choreography and happenstance, choreography and chance. chance. Each physical "performance" Each physical "performance" was a unique, spontaneous, and was a unique, spontaneous, and unrepeatable eventunrepeatable event, but the final , but the final product was always subject to artistic product was always subject to artistic will. I will. I cancan control the flow of the paint," control the flow of the paint," Pollock contended. "There is no Pollock contended. "There is no accident." accident."

In the 1950s art critic Harold Rosenberg described the In the 1950s art critic Harold Rosenberg described the archetypal "action painter" as an artist who transformed archetypal "action painter" as an artist who transformed his canvas into a modern-day arena wherein an epic his canvas into a modern-day arena wherein an epic struggle between man and material might unfold. struggle between man and material might unfold.

The Art of the The Art of the paradoxparadoxMan/NatureMan/Nature

Chaos/OrderChaos/Order

Ugliness/BeautyUgliness/Beauty

Use of line:Use of line:

Thick/ThinThick/Thin

Light/DarkLight/Dark

Heavy/BuoyantHeavy/Buoyant

Straight/CurvedStraight/Curved

Horizontal/VerticalHorizontal/Vertical

                              

                                                                                                                     

                                                               Blue poles: Number 11Blue poles: Number 11 (1952) Enamel and aluminium paint (1952) Enamel and aluminium paint

with glass on canvas 360 x 48 cmwith glass on canvas 360 x 48 cm

Lee Krasner Lee Krasner (1908-1984)(1908-1984)

In 1940 she began showing as part of the In 1940 she began showing as part of the Abstract Expressionist movement.Abstract Expressionist movement.

In 1944 she married Jackson Pollock.In 1944 she married Jackson Pollock.

Worked on the WPA Federal Art ProjectWorked on the WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1943. from 1935 to 1943.

Took classes with Hans HofmannTook classes with Hans Hofmann (influential artist for A.E.), who taught (influential artist for A.E.), who taught the principles of cubism, and his the principles of cubism, and his influence helped to direct Krasner's influence helped to direct Krasner's work toward neo-cubist abstraction. work toward neo-cubist abstraction. When commenting on her work, When commenting on her work, Hofmann stated, "This is so good you Hofmann stated, "This is so good you would not know it was painted by a would not know it was painted by a woman."woman."

Lee Krasner: Lee Krasner: Gothic LandscapeGothic Landscape  (1961)  (1961)

““I go on the assumption that the serious artist is a highly I go on the assumption that the serious artist is a highly sensitive, intellectual, and aware human being, and when he sensitive, intellectual, and aware human being, and when he or she ‘pours it on’ it isn’t just a lot of gushy, dirty emotion. or she ‘pours it on’ it isn’t just a lot of gushy, dirty emotion. It is a total of their experiences which have to do with being It is a total of their experiences which have to do with being

a painter and an aware human being” – Lee Krasnera painter and an aware human being” – Lee Krasner

Lee Krasner: Lee Krasner: NoonNoon (1947) (1947) 60x78cm60x78cm

Jackson Pollock:Jackson Pollock: Eyes in the Eyes in the HeatHeat (1946) (1946)135x108 cm135x108 cm

Lee Krasner: Lee Krasner: Black, White and Pink Black, White and Pink Collage Collage (1949)(1949)

What was the America of the What was the America of the 1940s?1940s?

Many European artists and intellectuals had Many European artists and intellectuals had migrated to America to flee the war and had migrated to America to flee the war and had brought European ‘formal’ training with them…brought European ‘formal’ training with them…the American’s didn’t have this same training.the American’s didn’t have this same training.

Rise of the Atomic BombRise of the Atomic Bomb The television becomes a household staple itemThe television becomes a household staple item Big band music (Sinatra, Crosby) as well as jazz Big band music (Sinatra, Crosby) as well as jazz

music (Gillespie, Monk, Parker) is being heard on music (Gillespie, Monk, Parker) is being heard on the radiothe radio

Blacks get the right to voteBlacks get the right to vote Time of the Baby BoomTime of the Baby Boom Big cars, big hair, big country…go big or go home.Big cars, big hair, big country…go big or go home.

Lee Krasner: Lee Krasner: Seed #16Seed #16 (1969) 43x33 cm (1969) 43x33 cm

Lavender Mist No. 1

1. Describe how the technique of ‘action painting’ is seen in this work.

2. How can this work be seen as a break from stylistic painting tradition?

3. Would you describe this work as ‘personal’? Why?

Number 1 (Lavender Mist)Number 1 (Lavender Mist) (1950) (1950)