Pollock

Blue Poles
Jackson Pollock

 1. What does Jackson's introduction mean? (the text spoken over his painting in the first 30 seconds) 

    Jackson's introduction means that because our world and society changes so much, there is always a need for new kinds of art. There are different people, and things happening, in different ages, and making new kinds of art is a way to keep up with these changes. 

Compare that to his craft statement (2:50 seconds)

    Pollock describes how his process works. It reveals a different form of art than people have seen before his time. This shows how he has changed the way people make art. He also briefly speaks to his want to "express his feelings rather than illustrate them". Actually illustrating was all anyone ever really saw before Pollock's abstract expressionism. 

In this film, you hear our feature painter speak and actually apply paint. How does that change your experience?

    Seeing Pollock actually paint while you hear his voice over is really interesting to me. It was refreshing to see the artist at work in the film because it gives you an actual representation of how he works. You don't always get to see this because there was not always the ability to film artists' process. I have always enjoyed seeing how different artists go about their process so it gave the film a more exciting twist compared to others. 

Does it bother you that these films (that give us such an interesting record) lead to Pollocks downfall? Explain.

     It really doesn't bother me that these films lead to Pollock's downfall, mainly because that was such a huge part of his journey as an artist. He struggled a lot with his mental health and addiction, but these were struggles that made his work even better. He was fueled by feelings, which he had a lot of, and eventually caused him to collapse, but they made his art what it is. His downfall is important to his story and legacy. 

2. How does this film describe "macho modernism"?

    The film describes "macho modernism" as a way for these men who made abstract expressionist paintings to be seen as more manly. "They were strong ugly men" who had to describe themselves as macho because art made people look softer, or not as manly. Also, this was a time after WWII and people were expected to settle down and start families, but artists and writers didn't really fit into that realm. 

Who else fits into this mold besides Pollock and Hemingway? How do their works express any aspect of this?

    Other artists who would fit into this mold besides Pollock and Hemingway would be Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Arshile Gorky, and Franz Kline. They were all abstract expressionists and had the same need as Pollock to show how masculine they were because art then was not seen as a very manly thing to take part in. All of their works have an avant-garde vibe to them. Each and every one of these artists were going against the norm with their processes and subjects/concepts, and this also enhanced their "macho" images because they were rebellious with their work. They all drank a lot, struggled from depression, and drove fast and drunk. Many of them also committed suicide. 

Does Pollock's death count as an example of manifestation of Macho Modernism?
Who is Lee Krasner and how did she cope with this?

     Yes, his death does count as an example of manifestation of Macho Modernism because he died in a drunk car accident. This was a characteristic of Macho Modernism, to drive drunk and not really having a care for one's safety/well-being. Lee Krasner was a painter and Pollock's wife. She seemed to not be too affected by his death. She continued to make work after a short grieving period and actually took over his studio eventually. She did however have a large role in Pollock's estate and the sales of his paintings for such large amounts of money. She made his art relevant after his "glamorous death".

3. Discuss the film making. Who made it?

This film was made by Kim Evans. 

Include successful or unsuccessful examples of each of the following and briefly discuss why you selected this example.
a. interview: I thought that a very successful example of an interview was the one with Lee Krasner when she talks about how Pollock basically rejected an art teacher because he told him he needs to work from nature. Pollock said that he "is nature".  I really liked this interview because it gives the viewer a really good look into his mind, and how he thought about himself and his work. 
b. films of Jackson: The clips/films of Jackson actually splattering paint onto the canvas are so interesting and successful. Especially the one where he is outside and smoking a cigarette while working at the beginning of the film. I liked this clip especially because it revealed how his process is second nature for him. There is no need for him to hang up his painting, step back and look at it to make sure it is going okay. He is so intuitive with his movements. 
c. photos of Jackson: I thought that the one photo of the magazine spread was very influential and successful in getting a glimpse of what Jackson was like because it showed him in a very "macho" manner. The way he is standing with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, with his crossed arms and legs, really shows the viewer just how "macho" he presented himself as. 
d. paintings: Two paintings that they showed in the film, Lavender Mist and Autumn Rhythm, were very successful because they showed us what some of his works looked like when he was sober. These were considered some of his best paintings, and I thought that was really interesting considering his image. 
e. re-enactment: I thought a really successful re-enactment scene was showing the house and the table where he drank a glass of whiskey after 2 years of being sober. Especially the re-enactment of destroying the table and what was on it afterwards. I thought this was a successful scene because it revealed just how angry he got and how unstable he was. 
f. B-roll: The B-roll of his work in galleries was also very successful because it showed the viewer how immense the size of his paintings actually was, and it also just gave the film interesting interlude scenes. Seeing large paintings like Pollock's up on a wall is always interesting to me because working at such a large scale is daunting to me. 

Outside Sources:

“Jackson Pollock and His Paintings.” Jackson Pollock: 100 Famous Paintings Analysis and Biography, www.jackson-pollock.org/. Accessed 7 Apr. 2024.

“Reframing Lee Krasner, The Artist Formerly Known as Mrs Pollock.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 12 May 2019, www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/may/12/lee-krasner-artist-formerly-known-as-mrs-jackson-pollock-barbican-exhibition#:~:text=After%20his%20death%2C%20Krasner%20worked,stand%20empty%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20explained.