If I’m honest I first became interested in Jackson Pollock thanks to the movie starting Ed Harris, even though my art teacher had made several attempts many years prior. As they say …‘when the student is ready the teacher will come’ … though I doubt ‘they’ meant Ed Harris in celluloid form. Nonetheless …
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Shimmering Substance 1946 (detail)
© Pollock/Krasner Foundation/Licensed Viscopy
Photo by The Ponder Room
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The movie highlighted the highs and lows of his life, along with the moment he started producing his drip paintings. Little did he know the long term consequences of these actions.
Lying the canvas on floor he used brushes, sticks and simply pouring the paint from the can, to apply it to the canvas. As a result the layer upon layer of paints have been described as both controlled and unpredictable … kind of like a child’s first mouthful of broccoli.
The plaque introducing his pieces at the Art Gallery of WA MoMA exhibition, has him explaining this approach.
‘On the floor I am more at ease’, he explained, ‘I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work on it from four sides, and literally be the painting.’
It was wonderful to stand before his pieces and think about him applying each layer of paint. After a while however the volunteer standing next to me, and I, couldn’t help ourselves.
‘Is that a face?’, she asked
Delighted that someone else had been pondering the same thing I replied, ‘yeah I thought I saw a face over there.’
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Free Form 1946 (detail) © Pollock/Krasner Foundation/ Licensed Viscopy
Photo by The Ponder Room
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While it’s often been said that the Masters were before their time, I pondered whether Pollock was indeed the true originator of … Where’s Wally? In a matter of moments we’d already located five faces … eh?, eh? Okay if you don’t believe me go check it out for yourselves and let me know. http://www.artgallery.wa.gov.au/
