The Influence

At the age of 44, Pollock who was under alcohol influence met with an accident and he died on the spot in that accident. Four months after his death, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, a memorial was held for him, exhibiting all of his works in one place. A larger, more detailed exhibition of his work was held again in the same place in 1967. And in 1998 and 1999, his work was honored through great exhibitions held at MoMA and at The Tate in London.

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After Marcel Duchamp’s advice Pollock started painting on the canvas instead of the walls, as the canvas paintings were movable. “I took one look at it and I thought, ‘Now that’s great art,’ and I knew Jackson was the greatest painter this country had produced. The catalog introducing his first exhibition described Pollock’s talent as “… volcanic. It has fire. It is unpredictable. It is undisciplined. It spills out of itself in a mineral prodigality, not yet crystallized,” said the art critic Clement Greenberg. 

The Drip Period

Pollock’s most famous paintings were created during the drip period between 1947 and 1950. He found his fame when an article was published about in the famous magazine Life that said, “Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?” At the peak of his fame, Pollock abruptly abandoned the drip style.” It was a 4-page article about his work and life that made his really popular.

Who Influenced Pollock?

“Until you don’t see what’s outside, you don’t see what lies beneath you.” Pollock was very much influenced by the work of Thomas Hart Benton, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miro. Pollock was always experimenting with new ways to create something special. In his initial days, he used synthetic-resin-based paints called alkyd enamels, which was very common back then. But how did he come up with the action painting?

The Action Painting

Pollock’s technique of pouring and dripping paint was given the name of action painting. With this technique, Pollock was able to create a unique way to create art where the paint was literally flowing from his hands to the canvas. He chose the horizontal surface instead of regular vertical surface which gave him the upper hand on painting from all the directions.

“Jack The Dripper”

In the article published in the 1956 edition of the Time magazine named Pollock “Jack the Dripper”. “My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting.

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 or other foreign matter added.

When I am in my painting, I’m 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 fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise, there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.” told Jason Pollock, My Painting, 1956.