The Style of Jackson Pollock

The Abstract Paintings by Jackson Pollock

The abstract paintings by Jackson Pollock were revolutionary and challenged traditional Western painting styles. His unique style involved the use of his whole body to paint. He was dubbed "Jack the Dripper" by Time magazine in 1956. Jackson Pollock's style has inspired many artists and is still highly sought after today.

Painting

When he was young, Jackson Pollock lived with his brothers in Greenwich Village, New York, where he struggled to survive and work. He was often so poor that he was forced to work as a janitor and steal food. However, in 1932, he was invited to participate in the 8th Exhibition of Watercolors, Pastels and Drawings by American and French Artists at the Brooklyn Museum. This was his first public exhibition.

Pollock's Drip Technique

Pollock's drip technique was influenced by Mexican muralists and Surrealist automatism. He claimed not to rely on accidents and was able to manipulate the paint by controlling the hand's movement and the flow of color. His drip technique involved pouring, dripping, and whirling complex webs of pigment onto the canvas.

Style

The style of Jackson Pollock is often described as a chaotic process. It is based on an artist's experience of experiencing an uncontrollable seizure. The uncontrollable motions in his painting process often result in the splattering of paint on the canvas. These spontaneous explosions of color are one of the trademarks of Pollock's work.

Jackson Pollock is credited with pioneering the 'all-over' style of painting. In this style, a canvas is laid against a wall or floor and paint is dripped on it. The artist also used a knife, trowel, or stick to add depth to the painting.

Pollock studied regionalist painting and incorporated elements of this style in his early works. He was also influenced by Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and the Surrealist movement, which sought to express the subconscious mind through fantastic imagery and juxtaposition of subject matter.

Relationship with Ruth Kligman

Jackson Pollock and Ruth Kligman had a romantic relationship. The two were together for a few months before Pollock died in a tragic car accident. Kligman was badly injured, but she recovered quickly, becoming a mainstay of the New York art scene. Kligman also became friends with Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline, and married Carlos Sansegundo in 1964. In the year after Pollock's death, Kligman had a relationship with artist Willem de Kooning.

The relationship was complicated, but it was clear that both artists loved each other deeply. The two met in New York City during a trip to Sag Harbor, and they fell in love. The artist's relationship with Kligman is a fascinating study in contrast to his relationship with many other artists. Pollock had never been serious about his relationship with other women, but Kligman was deeply connected to him and was a great supporter of his work.

Alcoholism

Throughout his life, Jackson Pollock battled depression and alcoholism. In the 1930s, his family encouraged him to seek psychiatric help, but his condition never improved. In 1938, he suffered a nervous breakdown. He was hospitalized for four months. His drinking continued, and he eventually stopped painting. The Depression and alcoholism had a negative impact on Pollock's work.

He drank heavily and abandoned his drip style in 1951. In that same year, he was featured in a Life magazine four-page spread. But his output steadily deteriorated. His drip style soon became less popular and his paintings took on a more somber look. His paintings in the following years returned to color and reintroduced figurative elements. His alcoholism, however, did not diminish his artistic genius.

Influence of Lee Krasner

Many people may be unaware of Lee Krasner's influence on Jackson Pollock. Krasner was married to Pollock and was at the forefront of Abstract-Expressionism in New York. She studied under Pollock and absorbed his influences. Krasner was a strong woman who sailed through the gales of change.

Krasner first met Pollock in 1942 when he was exhibiting alongside Krasner's work at a New York gallery. Immediately, Krasner was moved by Pollock's work. The two soon married and settled in East Hampton, New York. There, they produced an impressive body of work together. Lee Krasner was particularly inspired by Pollock's drip paintings and used them as an inspiration for her Little Image paintings.

In the early 1960s, Krasner began to use his mature style and incorporated vibrant colour. The new paintings were inspired by nature and elemental forces. While retaining the decentralized nature of his earlier work, he shifted his focus from big, bright colors to the rhythms of color moving across a canvas. The space and light in Pollock's barn made Krasner's works more luminous.