Wednesday, April 18, 2012

ABSTRACT ART. JACKSON POLLOCK

 JACKSON POLLOCK

 Paul Jackson Pollock was an american artist of the 20th century and one of the most influential painters in his movement, abstract expressionism.
 Pollock was born in Cody, Wyoming (USA) on January 28th in 1912. After his childhood in Cody, he went to New York, where he studied in the Art Students League. Soon, his work started being abstract and surreal. Between 1935 and 1943, Pollock worked for the WPA and painted under Picasso's influence. Besides, since 1938, he worked as well for the Federal Art Project. All this made Pollock meet and know many different styles, techniques (like air pump paint or airbrush) and materials (like varnish or synthetic enamel). Pollock married Lee Krasnernin 1945, who backed him to keep painting and to control his alcoholism. Since 1949, he was paid a monthly payment from Peggy Guggenheim, who became his patron. In 1956, when he had already got over his vices, Pollock died surprisingly in a terrible car accident, at the early age of 44.
 Pollock belongs to the abstract expressionism movement, where he was one of the most important artists. His paintings are characterized by some aspects:
 - Action painting: this technique consisted on laying the huge canvas on the floor and painting it as the artist walks and moves over the picture.
 - Dripping: this other technique was based on letting the paint drip over the picture. Pollock also used to launch the paint against the canvas.
 - All-over: Pollock never used to left any blank space in the picture and usually put one paint lay over another one.


 NUMBER 8

 This picture (exposed in the Neuberger Museum in New York) was painted in 1949, when Pollock was already married and had almost controlled his alcoholism. This picture is one of the first ones of his most remarkable years (1949-1953) and shows very well Pollock's style and techniques.
 "Number 8" doesn't show any image or even a feeling. In fact, it has no title which can describe the picture. As Pollock said, he doesn't want to show anything, it's only an action, a fact. This is one of the characteristics of many Pollock's paintings.
 The technique used in "Number 8" is oil, enamel and aluminium paint on canvas and, as many other Pollock's pictures, it has been painted by "action painting". It's very easy to observe that Pollock has applied the picture either by dripping or by launching it. Eventually, we can also appreciate that he has covered all the canvas surface and has overlaid the paint, creating that peculiar style.

 - Illan's opinion (negative): I do not like this painting. Pollock used to paint random and abstractly, but colours were selected: he tried to guess what colours might combine with the other colours. However, in this canvas there is not the bit of sense his pictures used to have. Even one characteristic of Pollock's movement (abstract expressionism) is missing. If this movement was based on abstract paintings that transmit a feeling or an idea, I don't think this canvas satisfies the second characteristic. I argue that this picture is one of the worst pictures ever drawn by him. The only thing that distinguish this picture from any other that anyone can make, is that this one has been painted by Pollock. 

 - Pelayo's opinion (possitive): I do like this abstract picture. Apart from the interesting techniques Pollock has used to paint it, I think it's also very intriguing from the point of view of what it transmits. The first time I saw it, it shocked me but I like it without giving any reason. Now, I guessed that what makes the picture interesting is the surprise, the difference, the change, the indecision...  Maybe, it would be much clear, if only it had a title which described the picture, but that's impossible, because the painting doesn't describe anything. That "no-title" is what makes the painting even more exciting. In my opinion, mixing all that colours, without making a "fudge" and, moreover, causing a surprising reaction on the people who look at it, it's just fascinating! 




BY ILLAN & PELAYO
Extracted from: 




24 comments:

  1. I don't think this is one of his better works. I think the colours aren't well combinated, they are so dispersed and random, I think this picture is light years away from his best works, but not every picture can be the best one!

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    Replies
    1. I like it. It seems like a street map with a river, stained with funny colors.

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    2. OMG!! What a deep reflection!! Someone in ARCO could see feelings, emotions, ideas... and you see a city map? Couldn't just invent something better?

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    4. And, why you don´t use your imagination before seeing the "depth" of a work to immerse yourself in it?
      Without imagination, humans would be anything. We cannot invent things without imagination!!!

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  2. I ment "one of his best works", not "better".

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  3. I absolutely agree with Aitor! It seems a city map with a river and some wide streets and roads.

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  4. You are free to see whatever you want, but knowing Pollock is deeper than that, anyone who knows of art would say that you have no idea, you are totally wrong and anything else; many people would say you are painting psychos and would prohibit you to comment any picture. In general, people who studied art think they are always right, and that they know more than anyone in art, in fact they may be such as a censor if you don't think like them.

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    1. I like to debate with you. You have got a lot of imagination, except to see simple things like a river :)

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    2. That's the problem, im superior to you so I can see things you can't as a normal person. If you used to think, you wouldn't say things as your paranoid!, totaly out of context.
      Try to think and you could see more than your eyes can and you will become part of this all over the world community of super people.
      (just kidding, but really, THINK A BIT)

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    3. Your "just kidding" has saved you of a "breaking" (you know what I want to say). Can we return to the context, please???

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    4. Of course we could, but that would end the conversation,unless you said something stupid and unproductive as your paranoid!
      Look where we have reached, people out of this high school is commenting here and is a good oportunity to make this blog bigger than it is. So please, if we return to the original conversation, say things that make sense.

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    5. Oh! It´s incredible. I´m the blame and you a victim... OK

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    6. When I see this painting I only feel it and swimming in its colours and I like it. However, if I try to distiguish any form of the real life (as a city map)I see butterflies!! Am I a twee person?

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    7. Stop, stop, stop, boys! For God´s sake! What`s up??? I love a very passionate discussion but enough is enough!!
      Pollock must be enjoying a lot in his grave with you two, gentlemen.

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  5. Very good arguments with different LIKES and DISLIKES about this famous American painter. Illán, it sounds better to say "forbidden".
    Thank very much to everybody.
    Great, great job!

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  6. http://pianoyforte.blogspot.com.es/2011/01/jackson-pollock-la-musica-y-las.html

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  7. SO, YOU´RE LEARNIG....

    SOBRE INFLUENCIAS, ARTISTAS Y TARTAS DE FRESA.

    EL ARTE, COMO CONCEPTO, NO ABARCA SOLO LA TECNICA EN LA QUE SE EXPRESA UN ARTISTA. EL ARTISTA ES QUIIEN ES, CREA LO QUE CREA GRACIAS A SU TALENTO, PERO TAMBIEN A SUS MUCHAS INFLUENCIAS VITALES, SOCIALES, ARTISTICAS... INCLUSO PSICOTROPICAS. EN EL CASO DE ÉSTE PINTOR, DE TRATO DIFICIL, MALCARADO Y TEMPERAMENTAL, UNA DE LAS GRANDES INFLUENCIAS DE LAS QUE MAMÓ COMO UN POSESO (ASÍ CREABA) FUE EL JAZZ. JOHN COLTRANE LE GUSTABA BASTANTE.
    Y JOHN COLTRANE GUSTABA Y GUSTA A OTROS JUGLARES (DE TODO PELO Y CONDICIÓN). HOY TRAEMOS A ESTE RAPSODA ELECTRICO QUE NOS CANTA DURANTE UN MONTON DE MINUTOS SOBRE LO QUE LE GUSTA TENER UN POCO DE PAZ MIENTRAS ESCUCHA SU DISCO DE COLTRANE.
    Y CENA
    Y BEBE UNA COPA DE VINO.
    Y DE POSTRE, TARTA DE FRESA.


    VUESTROS DEBERES: PEDID UN DISCO DE JOHN COLTRANE (EN DIRECTO) A VUESTROS PADRES. Y OTRO DE STEVE WYNN, LO ESCUCHAIS A TODA HOSTIA MIENTRAS MIRAIS LA OBRA DE POLLOCK.

    http://blogs.larioja.com/cosijazz/2011/04/09/pintura-y-jazz-jackson-pollock-john-coltrane/

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  8. Wow, cool, awesome and very interesting article! It´s true that the relationship between music (in this case, jazz music) and Painting is a large story of love and madness. I recommend you (I´ve got a copy) this movie with Ed Harris as Pollock , he was great! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0xiovbDML0
    Thank you very much indeed for your opinion .Although I prefer to read in English, we´ll do an exception with you considering how much you teach us!

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  9. Students, remember one of my favourite quotes:

    "Secondly, you consider what thou art,and make it thy business to know thyself, which is the most difficult knowledge that you can imagined. Yet from this lesson thou wilt learn to avoid swelling thyself like the frog to rival the bigness to the ox; for the consideration of your having been a hog-driver in thy country will be to your folly like the peacock´s ugly feet to his spread tail"

    The achievements of the ingenious gentleman, don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes
    Saavedra.

    "Lo segundo, has de poner los ojos en quien eres, procurando conocerte a ti mismo, que es el más difícil conocimiento que puede imaginarse. Del conocerte saldrá el no hincharte como la rana que quiso igualarse con el buey, que si esto haces, vendrá a ser feos pies de la rueda de tu locura la consideración de haber guardado puercos en tu tierra."

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