15 Fun Facts About Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) is one of the most famous representatives of twentieth-century art. He was the first American painter to gain international fame and his works have achieved critical acclaim as innovative and creative. Although he received traditional artistic instruction, Pollock developed a unique and rebellious style.

His works of art are famous worldwide for their eccentric mixtures of colors, lines, and textures.

Facts From The Life Of Jackson Pollock Part I

He painted his works using knives, forks, ties, handkerchiefs, and brushes, but instead of resting them on the canvas, he threw the paint. He preferred to work with his canvases on the floor, to surround him by all the edges in his opinion and to have greater control of the work. On the list of the best 1950 art exhibitions of Art News magazine, the top three were from Pollock. When I was a teenager, he once wrote: “People have always terrified and boring me, therefore I have always lived in my own shell.” Before becoming a painter, he was interested in sculpture.

Jackson suffered from alcoholism, was under psychiatric treatment for several years and part of his therapy was painting because his anxiety decreased. Herman Melville was one of his favorite writers. In fact, his dog’s name was “Captain Ahab”. It is in honor of one of the most prominent characters in a Melville novel.

Facts From The Life Of Jackson Pollock Part II

Pollock once wrote to his father: “I will never be satisfied unless I am able to mold a stone mountain with the help of a hammer that fulfills my will.”

Lee Krasner, his wife, explained that Pollock began to title his work with numbers, stating, “The numbers are neutral, which will force people to see the painting for what it is, pure painting.”

Jackson had managed to stay sober for two years until in a photoshoot with Hans Numuth he had drinks and since then he never stopped.

“There was a critic who wrote that my works had neither beginning nor end. He didn’t do it like a compliment, but it was. ”His art was unique and irreverent.

Pollock had a serious problem with drinking, and contrary to common beliefs, alcohol did not help him paint.

His first name at birth was actually Paul, but he decided to leave it. Additionally, sometimes he used the pseudonym, Hugo.

The film director Ed Harris made a film in his honor called «Pollock», which tells the life of the painter, from an artistic and personal point of view.

He died in 1956 when he crashed his car against a tree. He was just a few meters from his house because of alcohol intoxication.

Unknown Facts

1. Pollock died in a tragic car accident in 1956 and few people know that there was a survivor of the accident: his lover Ruth Kligman.
2. The experiment he had done with liquid paint was being presented in the NY workshop of David Alfaro Siqueiros, in 1936.

15 fun facts about Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock, a leading figure in the abstract expressionist movement, revolutionized the art world with his unique art technique known as “drip painting” or “action painting.” Influenced by Mexican muralists and Surrealist artists like Picasso and Miró, Pollock’s work was characterized by its spontaneous and energetic compositions.

Pollock’s studio, located in a barn on his property in Springs, New York, has become an iconic space known as the “Pollock-Krasner House and Studio.” It serves as a museum dedicated to preserving his legacy. One of his most famous works, “No. 5, 1948,” is renowned for its large size and complex web of drips and splatters.

To achieve his signature drip technique, Pollock would lay the canvas flat on the ground and move around it, pouring and flinging paint from above. This allowed him to work from all angles, creating dynamic compositions. Despite the myth of the “drunken painter,” Pollock’s artistic process was a deliberate exploration of his emotions and a means of self-expression.

Pollock collaborated with fellow artist Lee Krasner, his wife, who played a vital role in supporting and promoting his career. He also made appearances in films, including the documentary “Jackson Pollock 51” and a cameo in “Scent of a Woman.”

Pollock’s legacy and impact on the art world are significant. His works inspired artists to explore new possibilities and experiment with unconventional techniques. In 2006, his painting “No. 5, 1948” set a record as the world’s most expensive painting, selling for $140 million. Towards the end of his career, Pollock experimented with glass as a medium, collaborating with glassmaker Harvey K. Littleton.

Pollock’s influence extends beyond the art world. His style has been incorporated into fashion, with designers drawing inspiration from his splatter patterns and abstract motifs. In 1949, Pollock was the first abstract artist to be featured on the cover of Time magazine, solidifying his status as “the greatest living painter in the United States.”

Jackson Pollock’s art continues to captivate and inspire, leaving a lasting impact on the art world and beyond.