THESIS: "The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through".

Transcription

1 Outline THESIS: "The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through". I. Action painting. A. Description of the form. B. Rosenberg's article. C. Ideas of inventing drip technique. II. J. Pollock: biography. A. Early years B. Influences and mentors C. Mature life and death. III. Unique techniques. A. The source of his ideas. B. Drip technique. C. Shapes in Pollock's works. IV. The unique artist. A. Influence of Native Americans. B. Polarizing works.

2 Action painting is one of the types of abstract expressionism. It "uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world" (Arnheim 7). It is a type of dynamic, impulsive painting where the artist make his painting with vigorous, gestural movements, sometimes by splashing or dribbling, and without any ready image in his mind of how the future painting will look like. Sometimes it can be used as a synonym to Abstract Painting, but it is not right as Action Painting is only one aspect of this movement. In December 1952 the term Action Painting was used for the first time. It was coined by Harold Rosenberg, a famous critic, in his article The American Action Painters in Art News magazine. In this article Action Painting was introduced as a painting technique, which allows artist to express his instinctive creative powers. Rosenberg wrote that the act of painting is much more important than ready work. The term Action Painting soon became common, despite many critics were against Rosenberg s idea of importance of the event, not the ready painting. For example, Mary McCarthy said that "you cannot hang an event on a wall, only a picture" (McCarthy 30). Rosenberg's article didn't mention names of separate painters as well as it was not followed by illustrations. However, the artist who is above all connected with Action Painting is Jackson Pollock who described his feelings while performing the act of painting on canvas laid on the floor: "I feel nearer, more a part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting When I am in my painting, I am not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of get acquainted period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears

3 about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through" (Pollock media). A lot of ideas of how Pollock invented his dripping techniques were argued, even including such fishy tale as he figured it after kicking over a can of paint. The most popular theory is that Pollock was under the impact of Navaho s sand paintings Indians during some rituals scatter tinted sand on the ground making niggled patterns. But it doesn t really mean a lot where he found the clues; Pollock used this technique to create his masterpieces which are usually regarded, as the greatest abstract paintings ever. "Pollock was the first American artist of this genre who was taken seriously in Europe. He also was the first "all-over"' painter, pouring paint rather than using brushes and a palette, and abandoning all conventions of a central motif. He danced in semi-ecstasy over canvases spread across the floor, lost in his patterning, dripping and dribbling with total control. He said: "The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through". He painted no image, just "action'', though "action painting' seems an inadequate term for the finished result of his creative process. Lavender Mist is 3 m long (nearly 10 ft), a vast expanse on a heroic scale. It is alive with colored scribble, spattered lines moving this way and that, now thickening, now trailing off to a slender skein. The eye is kept continually eager, not allowed to rest on any particular area. Pollock has put his hands into paint and placed them at the top right -- an instinctive gesture eerily reminiscent of cave painters who did the same. The overall tone is pale lavender, and active. At the time Pollock was hailed as the greatest American painter, but there are already those who feel his work is not holding up in every respect" (Pioch 170).

4 He was born on January 28, 1916 in a small town Cody, WY. In future, friendly critics tried to create a beautiful myth because of the place of his birth. As this town got its name after well-known American character of times of conquest of the Wild West, they represented the artist as the same dashing cowboy - freedom-loving, rebellious, not accepting general rules. But he never had even a shadow of a cowboy soon after his birth, Pollock's family moved to San Diego. So he spent his youth in California. Artist's father, Leroy Pollock, could not find permanent job, that's why he travelled along America with his. He tried many jobs, but he wasn't successful anyway. Eventually, he practically left his family, occasionally sending small sums of money. Pollock had 4 elder brothers and sisters. Actually, he was brought up by his mother, Stella Pollock, who's neurotic and imperious character influenced not only Jackson's mind and artistic style, but also his life. The boy grew gloomy and closed; herewith he suffered from gushes of anger under which he could make unexpected deed, that's why he was twice expelled from school. Also, Jackson was under great influence of mysticism, which interested him since early ages. Especially, he was interested in philosophy of Jidda Krishna-murti, who stated that the truth opens to a person only intuitively while "outpouring" the personality. Jackson took these words too deeply and that was certainly to define his outlook. Young Pollock considered that the easiest way to "outpour" is art. At the same time he did not cherish illusions concerning his talent, instead, he critically approached his possibilities. But nevertheless he decided to become an artist it seemed to him, that a powerful strong-willed effort was enough to make him whatever he wanted.

5 When Pollock was 15, his elder brother Sanford and he spent summer with a group of land surveyors in the Grand Canyon. There, he drank alcohol for the first time. (Emmerling 10). His later alcoholism can be explained by physical intolerance that greatly influenced on psychological problems caused by lacking father and neurotic mother. Later in his life, Jackson spent several times in psychiatric clinics, though it didn't help. Alcohol also caused his death. He died on August 11, 1956 in a car-accident. But nevertheless, Pollock was still interested in art. Magazine's reproductions of Matisse, Franz Marc, and Picasso greatly influenced him and made his interest stronger. When he was a student of Manual Arts High School, LA, Pollock was also encouraged by his art teacher. Soon after, Pollock's oldest brother, Charles, left for New York where he studied with Benton in the Art Students League. He wanted Jackson to join him. "So Pollock went to New York City in 1930 to study art with Thomas Hart Benton, a major figure in the American art movement called Regionalism" (UIMA Web). He became Pollock's first mentor. Jackson was his student for 3 years. No wonder, that Jackson's painting of the early and middle 30 th were under strong influence of his teacher. "Pollock's sketchbook, containing more than 500 drawings, shows his continued efforts to organize compositions rooted in twisting countershifts, as Benton had counseled" (NGA Web). While being Benton s student, Pollock got acquainted with David Siqueiros and well-known Mexican muralist José Orozco. Their unique art made a lasting impact on Pollock. As many young artists of this time, Pollock was looking for a job during the time of the Great Depression. This job was given to him by WPA Federal Art Project, where he worked since 1935 to But his real first breakthrough was in 1943 due

6 to his first wall-size work "Mural". At that time he already experimented with various methods, media, ways of painting and surfaces. In 1947 he has brought up the new technique of drawing step by step "pouring", or dripping, enamel or aluminum paint on a flat canvas. As the result, he got huge canvases covered with intricate patterns (Evans Web). In the beginning of 1930 th Jackson one of those young artists invited to take part in a group exhibition. At that exhibition he met his future wife - Lee Krasner. Peggy Guggenheim, the rich New York successor, was attracted by his works. She became Pollock's sponsor patron. She introduced his works to public. In 1943, she organized his solo exhibition and signed the contract which guaranteed him150 dollars per month. In 1945 Peggy loaned a small house in Springs, East Hampton, Long Island for Pollock. His wife and he lived there till they died. Nowadays their house became a museum and the Study Center. Here he started to create his individual for it large-scale artworks. People worshipped and hated his paintings. However, his solo exhibitions were extremely popular. By that time he was widely known in New York, and in August 1949 his talent began to shine all over the world as in Life magazine an article about him was published. In 1956 style of his work changed. Pollock almost gave up colors; instead he created a lot of black paintings on unprimed canvases. As alcoholism ad struggle with it changed Pollock, his art also transformed. Nevertheless, he returned to a multi-colored palette. However, in last year of his life he completely gave up art.

7 At that time, his family with Krasner was no more happy. Pollock "had taken a mistress and Krasner took the opportunity to go to Europe to re-evaluate their relationship. Unfortunately, Krasner received a call informing her of her husband s sudden tragic death" (J-P.com Web). Pollock is famous for his invention - pouring technique, and his huge works painted on the floor, using thick brushes with big amount of paint, sticks and turkeyfeathers to disperse the paint. His work Number 2 clearly demonstrates this fact. On commercially dyed dark red canvas patterned with paint drops and poured lines. Due to big concentration of black and white paints, oil bled into a porous canvas, imitating shades. Pollock used this effect, carefully placing within darker areas drops of Indian red color, the color which is similar to fabric, creating repoussoir effect which inhales a life and naturalness to the drops, which in other case would seem a dully error. Pollock did not drip paint randomly, he carefully thought about the place of each drop of this or that color, trying to control the plan of a picture, despite the idea of Abstract painting. Curved elements can be noticed for the first time in Number 2 work, because it was drawn not on canvas, though on fabric. "Elements that soaked through appear there as if white were under black but appear on the front with the white on top, showing that Pollock filled in parts of the white lines so the overall aesthetic balance of lights and darks would, as he liked to say, work " (Learn Columbia Web). It seems that vertical black lines are drawn from left to right. Prevailing of white color impacts a small tension. This fact is solved by locating white lines, mainly at the other edge of canvas or fabrics. When Pollock was drawing on the floor, just like as the Indian painters, he worked together at both sides of canvas or fabrics. If one will turn the picture upside down, it will be obvious that white lines are located

8 also as free and logical, as black lines. One of the main features of Pollock's largescale works, is that the main art elements are located from left to right. The left edge of the painting, despite of which edge he chose to paint first, always begins "with an elegant pirouette of paint, which then dances across the length of the canvas, until it reaches the terminal right edge, where a suddenly stymied form signifies the artist s frustration that subjective infinity is limited by the objective length of his ground". It is quite typical for his unrestrained mind. Shape of his works, which was far from being usual (five times wider then their height), served his tendency to "write out" his paintings. Also, during these years he was deeply interested in mural paintings. A number vertical black lines oblong the picture has something in common with the Benton's theory of mural painting. He taught students to create a wall of vertical lines around which small amount of smooth and curved forms can be located. Pollock often used this technique in his work, especially it is noticeable in Blue Poles, and also in Number 2, where white color opposes black border. This shape of wall with vertical lines can penetrate even deeper into his memory. The family photo of a drawing room in Cody made in 1912 on which an oblong number of oleo lithographs of flowers on the wall, the image, shape which is carefully represented in his pouring works. It seems that all details of style and the invoice of Pollock's works, both his main works, and sketches, are taken from his life experience and education. In a lot of ways, Pollock's works were a closed system which again and again absorbed itself until disseminate its energy. All his paintings, unique and individual, were added to modern legends of art, because of heroism of character which surpasses tragedy and traditions.

9 Between 1947 and 1950 Pollock painted his most celebrated works. This period in his life was called dripping period. However, experiencing the peak of his popularity he unexpectedly gave the drip technique up. After 1951 in his works dark paints prevailed, in particular, black paint. Gradually Pollock began to introduce figurative elements to his works. He was becoming more and more commercial, what reflected him as deepened problems with alcohol. Despite struggle with alcoholism throughout all his life, Pollock's career was suddenly interrupted by a New York accident, where he smashed his car in the tree at the age of 44 years. After his death, Pollock's wife Lee Krasner disposed of his works and stated that Pollock's influence was nevertheless strong, despite changing tendencies of the world of art The influence of art of Native Americans is obvious and very strong in Pollock's works. He, as well as American Indian artists, used similar techniques. For example, he painted only those pictures which arose in its consciousness when it was absolutely empty, without any thoughts or any imposed image, he painted shapes of "the Spirit world", and thus his works are full with primitive aesthetics. This "visual language" connects Pollock's paintings with primitivism art of Native Americans. Primitivism was rather popular art style among modernists, and Pollock picked the closest to his spirit and culture form of it to explore visually. Finally, Pollock's art is deeply connected with art of Native Americans. Pollock's works always provoked hottest contradictions among art-critics. He was often in the centre of various debate and disputes. As it was already mentioned above, Harold Rosenberg responded about Pollock's painting technique as something that had totally changed painting, he said

10 that was a turning-point in art when painting is to paint only, without pursuing other aim. Gesture on a canvas was gesture of clearing from clichéd ideals imposed by a politics and morals. Pollock lived the life free of such imposed clichés. However, his paintings and unique techniques are still very popular and attract new supporters and followers.

11 Works Cited Arnheim, Rudolf. Visual Thinking. Berkeley: University of California Press Print. Emmerling, Leonhard. Jackson Pollock: Germany: Taschen Print. Evans, Charles. T. "Jackson Pollock". novaonline.ncc.edu. Nova Online, n. d. Web. 29 Apr "Jackson Pollock". huntfor.com. Museum Gallery of Oil Painting, n. d. Web. 29 Apr "Jackson Pollock: Biography". J-P.Com. Jason-Pollock.com, n. d. Web. 29 Apr "Jackson Pollock: Preface". learn.columbia.edu. Columbia University, Department of Art, History and Archaeology, n. d. Web. 29 Apr "Jackson Pollock: The Artist". nga.gov. National Gallery of Art, n. d. Web. 29 Apr McCathy, Mary. A Bolt From the Blue And Other Essays. NY: New York Review of Books Print. "More About Jackson Pollock". uima.uiowa.edu. University of Iowa of Museum Art, n. d.. Web. 29 Apr Pioch, Nicolas. "Action Painting". ibiblio.org. Ibiblio, 16 Jul Web. 29 Apr 2010.