Art and its Contexts II

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To what extent can an understanding of Jackson Pollocks
biography be helpful in the interpretation of their work?

The biographical critical approach to art focuses on an artists work

in relation to their life and personality, the ultimate meaning of the
piece determined solely to the artist themselves, with socioeconomic factors playing a secondary role.

Knowledge of a painters life can enhance our understanding of the

meaning and style of said work. Also, a painting is likely to have a
higher value if the artist was the pupil of a master, or indeed a
master him/herself. Concentration on an artists biography usually
occurs after said artist has experienced a life event such as illness,
bereavement, significant marriage or certain cultural/ethnical
issues. Of course, there are problems with such methodology. This
form of contextualisation can distract a viewer from the work and
take away the meaning, which was trying to be conveyed.
Biographical data is often too contextualised and stereotype images
are often made of artists. If an artist does not like the image that
has been created for them, it is not uncommon for an unconscious
effort to be made in order to change that image into something that
paints them in a better light. The degree to which biographical
interpretations are given by others can be associated with factors
including public knowledge: interviews and films, especially if the

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artist is still alive. However, the availability of such material is often
positively correlated with the artists fame.

The critical questions one must ask when using this approach to
interpret artwork may include what influences, such as events or
people, in the artists life are reflected in the work? Are these
influences transferred directly into the work? What modifications
have been made and what effect do these differences have on a
viewers interpretation? As historical context is also somewhat
significant when using this methodology of interpretation, the
following questions may also help when forming a comprehensive
analysis. When was the painting painted, how long did it take and
where? To what extent can we understand the past through the
work, and are the ideas and values represented at the time reflected
in the work?

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Many of his early works reflect the passion he had for the American
West, as it was the landscape of his childhood (McCoy, 2015). His
mother would move the family around the West in search of a better
life, and a younger Pollock was introduced to much of the country,
and was used to moving house something which may be taken as
significant in some of his works. His father, a farmer-come
government surveyor, would take Jackson and his brothers to work
occasionally, often exposing Pollock to Native Americans, their

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culture and their artwork as well as an appreciation for nature, that
would later inspire a mature Jackson Pollock. His appreciation for
Native American was heightened in the mid 1930s when it became
apparent in his work. (Ingram, 2014)

- Going West
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqfroiXi7n1qggdq1.jpg

Going west (1934-35)

Kirk Varnedoe, a critic, argued that the solitary figure journeying to
the unknown reflected Pollocks childhood and that of being moved
constantly around the American West by his mother. There could be

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another biographical interpretation behind this paining. Pollock
would look after Thomas Bentons, a muralist Pollock studied with
whilst living in New York (1930) child and tell stories of Jack Sass.
Jack was a fictional character, who would explore the plains of the
west in search of goldmines (Ingram, 2014, pg 16). Apart from the
similar name, Jack could have represented Pollock and his childhood
filled with moving across the west, in search of his goldmine or a
better life. However, these are arguably trivial biographical
references and may not affect ones interpretation of the piece. The
piece works just as well as a stand alone piece, but knowing the
information above may also heighten ones experience and
interpretation of the piece.

It was in 1938 that Pollock, after struggling with drink, was admitted
to the Bloomingdale Asylum to be treated for alcoholism. In 1939
Pollock had Jungian psychoanalysis treatment under Dr Joseph
Henverson. During this period Pollock created around seventy pieces
of art offering an encyclopaedic view into Pollocks unconscious
(Sedivi, 2009). Ceruschi argued that the painting of these period are
important in understanding his work and commented that they were
proof of Pollocks mental disorder (1992). Common features of the
works in this period where that of fragmented humanoid shapes,
animals and monsters associative but still very much
undistinguishable. This could be interpreted as Pollocks
unconscious manifesting itself into the work, flowing through the

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brush and latching itself onto the canvas, raw, waiting to be
interpreted. (Cernuschi, 1992)

Untitled (1939-42)

http://nga.gov.au/exhibition/abstractexpress/Images/400/45700.jpg

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-Guernica
http://www.pablopicasso.org/images/paintings/guernica3.jpg
Untitled was painted during Pollocks therapy sessions. It shows a
hybrid, multi-headed horse with possibly a beasts face in the lower
left of the painting. The use of untraditional colours, browns,
oranges and blues to highlight, defies the teachings of Benton, who
tried to employ techniques of the renaissance. The fractured form
and presence of the horse figures is clearly a response to Picassos
work, Guernica. Guernica was a protest to the bombing of the town
in the Spanish civil war and is know as one of the most famous anti
war pieces of all time (Rudolf, 1973). Pollock saw and studied this
painting when it came to America and was exhibited at the
Valentine Gallery. He was inspired, perhaps drawn in by the
nightmarish intensity (Whitney.org) or the contemporary relevance.
Untitled was an obvious response to Picasso, but the Spanish painter
would continue to inspire and invade Pollocks work. This piece of
biographic information may be of more importance than that of
Going West. Pollocks condition and mental state, as his fascination

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and clear reference to Picasso, arguably allows for a clearer
interpretation and may result a better appreciation of the work.

Pollock pioneered a dripping technique, recognised as a crucial

advancement in modern art. It can be said to reflect the fingerprints
of nature and the fractal dimensions increased during Pollocks life
(Taylor, Micolich and Jonas 1999)

His dripping technique is often associated with jazz; Pollock had

been known to listen to New Orleans Jazz for four or five consecutive
days (Ingram, 2014). The parallels of jazz, music, and Pollocks work
do not stop there as his art can be seen as improvised on occasion.
Improvisation however is also logical and structured as much as it is
free and spontaneous. Number 23 (1949), can also be interpreted
via the musical language. There is a dynamic organisation of colours
and strokes, the mass, intricacy and complex layering is almost
symphonic, almost fugue-like at parts lines seem to have
crescendos but are also legato and connected. The choice of colours
could represent a piano or musical score, with the staves quavers
and treble clefs made more ambiguous.

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- Number 23
https://d3l2rivt3pqnj2.cloudfront.net/i/prints/lg/1/6/166138.jpg

Number 23 has an interesting title. Pollock seemed to be at a time in

his life where the art was most important. Not naming a work and
giving it a number is de-personalising the painting. This encourages
a viewer to think about the work in a different way, as the viewer
hasnt been given a stimulant for conceptualisation. His drip
paintings are perhaps his most ambiguous. Therefore, interpretation
may not be affected by a knowledge of the artists life, however, a
deeper understanding of any artist may add more dimensions and
trains of thought when interpreting a piece.

Pollock attended the Manual Arts School in Los Angeles (he only
managed two years (1928-30) before being expelled), an institution
in which Jackson would study art in more detail under his teacher

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Frederick Schwankovsky. His teacher proved to be very inspirational
and Pollock showed enormous amounts of loyalty and admiration for
not only Schwankovsky, but also the teachers he would study with
later in life. Schwankovsky once invited spiritual leader Jiddu
Krishnamurti to speak with his students. His words rang true with
Pollock, who attended more of his lectures and talks. He taught the
importance of nature and animals and also the significance of being
alone, as it was his understanding that this is what led to ultimate
self-awareness and clarity in life. It could have been these words
that provoked Pollocks move from the busy streets of New York to
the calmness of Rhode Island, known to be Pollocks signature
period of painting (Ingram, 2014)

With this new interest in philosophy came one in space. Pollock

painted numerous space themed works including, Comet, Galaxy
and Reflection of the Big Dipper. Reflection of the Big Dipper (1947)
was another early drip painting, painted with the canvas on the floor
as if to mirror the subject in the sky above. Unlike his untitled or
numbered work, this paining has suggested imagery in the title
which guides us to a certain interpretation. The patches of blues and
yellows help form the galaxy as the shiny black enamel dances
around the stars. White comets shoot in all directions adding beauty
to the chaos. This painting put Pollock in a unique position in the
abstract-expressionist movement (Stedelijk, 2014). As mentioned
before, knowledge of Pollocks life may be of less significance in his

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drip paintings, this piece could easily be a stand-alone piece. It is
distinctively Pollock, and we know this because of his unique style
and brushwork, not necessarily his life events.

http://www.stedelijk.nl/assets/A%202971.jpg?
w=740&h=740&mode=max&404=backup

Perhaps it was Pollocks desire to break free from the influence the
likes of Picasso had had on him that lead to the exploration of new
inspiration; inspiration that came in the form of Native American
culture, more specifically Indian sand painters. The museum of
modern art opened up an exhibition named Indian art of the United
States in 1941. Pollock would attend the exhibition several times
and would even go alongside he therapist Dr Violet Staub De Laszlo

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(Ingram, 2014). Indian sand painters work on the floor from four
compasses that point towards the centre, the elements of the work
are in harmony with one another no one element with more
importance than another.

Autumn rhythm (Number 30 (1950))

Pollocks last drip painting, is a non-representational work in which
thinned paint has been applied to a raw, un-primed, un-stretched
canvas. He composed this painting whilst on the floor rather than
the easel. This technique of painting clearly comes from Pollocks
interest in the Indian sand painters he had gained from the
exhibition in 1941.

In this work, paint is poured, splattered in a very unorthodox way.

There is no central point of focus, another technique inspired from
the sand painters. He works from all side of the canvas, moving
around the canvas applying the paint to the canvas. We know this
because Hans Namuth made a film of the process of finishing the
work, taking over 500 pictures (Ingram, 2014).

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- Autumn Ryhthm
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/Autumn_Rhythm.jpg
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There is no element hierarchy, every stroke, every inch of the 207

inch canvas is of equal relevance. Spontaneity is implied and
arguably an important feature of this piece, however there is not a
lack of control. Like the jazz musicians he listened to, there is a

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structure Pollock follows: I can control the flow of paint: there is no
accident.(Pollock, date unknown)
There is strong feeling of kinetic energy in this painting; the various
flecks of paint seem to have a momentum behind them. it could be
said that this piece has some ambiguous symbolism, just like in the
works he painted whilst in therapy with Henverson, such as the V
shapes made out throughout the canvas representing birds, possibly
his pet crow. This symbolic reference would be hard to make without
analysing his biography critically, however it may not be necessary
to interpret the piece adequately.

http://www.aaa.si.edu/assets/images/polljack/reference/AAA_polljack
_6331.jpg

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In Pollocks work, there are clear influences of certain life events
that took place. For example, his alcoholism and therapy, the
influence of the Mexican muralist culture, the Indian sand painters,
his teacher Benton and philosophical principles (freedom, nature)
possibly deriving from the talk of Krishnamurti. This work also came
in the period he lived in Rhode Island, a time where Pollock was dry,
stable and recovering from his alcoholism. The information of his life
could mean that an understanding of Jackson Pollocks biography is
helpful in the interpretation of their work, on the other hand, some
may argue that his paintings are merely a messy collection of
splatters. Although a study into an artists life may not be needed to
interpret the work, it can certainly help with some paintings,
especially with such an eventful life, could be applied to help
interpreting Pollocks art.

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Bibliography
Dukeupress.edu,. 'Jackson Pollock | Duke University Press'. N.p.,
2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Home.earthlink.net,. 'A Cursory Comparison Of Jackson Pollock

"Autumn Rhythm" And Stuart Davis "Report From Rockport," By
Tony Grillo'. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Ingram, Catherine, and Peter Arkle. This Is Pollock. London:

Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2014. Print

McCoy, Jason. 1st ed. New York: N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

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Munsterberg, Marjorie. 'The Biography - Writing About

Art'. Writingaboutart.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Arnheim, Rudolf. The genesis of a painting: Picasso's Guernica.

University of California Press, 1973.

Sedivi, Amy Elizabeth. Digitalarchive.wm.edu. N.p., 2015. Web. 26

Mar. 2015.

Taylor, Richard P., Adam P. Micolich, and David

Jonas. Nature 399.6735 (1999): 422-422. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Whitney.org,. 'Audio Guide Stop For Jackson Pollock, Untitled, C.

193942'. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.