About a year ago, I had a rather interesting experience with a physics professor of mine. I had recently visited the Dan Steinhilber exhibit in the MOA, which I really enjoyed and thought was really interesting. Being a promoter of the arts, I told my professor about the exhibit and suggested that it might be something that his family would like. Initially he agreed and appreciated the suggestion, but he quickly realized to which exhibit I was referring and had a change of attitude. Being an…opinionated person…he then proceeded to tell me why. This particular professor hates modern art—which is fine. I have no problem with that. I did, however, try to convince him that modern art is of value and that it is important culturally. This did not seem to go over particularly well because I then had to sit and listen for a long time about why modern art is awful and how anyone could do it. Jackson Pollock was referenced many times as being a fraud. I tried a variety of strategies to concede the disagreement, but none seemed particularly effective. During the next few days of class there were many comments and Power Point slides referencing said conversation, including a Jackson Pollock picture that he made in paint. Needless to say, I did a good job of forever branding myself as “Modern Art Kid” in his eyes. Regardless of that experience, I still like Jackson Pollock. I find his art to be interesting and dynamic. I like the disorganized organization and the deliberate chaos that he conveys.
Jackson Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming in1912. After being expelled from high school and a California art school, Pollock moved with his brother to New York, where both studied under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League of New York. Although Benton’s subject matter had only a small influence on Pollock’s work, his style, paint use, and independence was long lasting. In the 1940’s Pollock observed Native American sand paintings, which later shaped how he painted. In the early 1940’s Jackson Pollock began to develop his style of action painting. He rose to star status in 1949—the pinnacle of his “drip period”—after a spread in Life Magazine. Pollock died in a car accident in 1956 after struggling his whole life with alcoholism.
Of all the Jackson Pollock paintings I have seen, Autumn Rhythm is my favorite one. I love how Pollock has uses abstract streaks of and drops of dull-colored paint to invoke emotions about autumn. As I look at this painting I think of all of the things I love about autumn. It is reminds me of how beautiful everything looks when it is covered with leaves. Although Pollock employs a very abstract style in this painting, his perception of the serene fluidity and chaos of autumn is conveyed perfectly. There is beauty, but also movement and excitement. Autumn Rhythm makes me think of autumn not as a time when things slow down, but as a time when the dynamics of nature are in full force. Pollock’s color choices of brow, black, and white also add another dimension of depth to the painting. The sparse white paint accents the rest of the image and gives a feeling of reflected rain or light snow—another facet of what autumn is and feels like in many places.
Say what you will about Jackson Pollock, but it is undeniable that he is an influential figure in art history. As for me—I think he is awesome.
No comments:
Post a Comment