Abstract Expressionism, Essay Example

First of all, Jackson Pollock’s famous piece Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) was created by dripping enamel onto canvas in 1950.  The color scheme is dark and ominous.  Pollock uses black and grey colors accented by white that hints towards a bright shining light.  The movements of the dripping paint are sharp and create distinct angles while also being more rounded or relaxed.  For instance, in much of the white the lines of enamel are thin and methodical like Pollock’s imagination was taking a short walk in the park without a care or worry.  Meanwhile, the darkness of the painting is very sharp, crisp and often includes larger blotches of paint strewn violently across the canvas.

On the other hand, a second image by Pollock that is untitled, but was created between the years 1948-59 is rather different.  The use of black as the fundamental color is still visible; however, Pollock uses the color of the canvas itself to accent the ink and enamel.  The medium is also unique because the artist chose to use paper instead of canvas for this work.  It also appears that the use of circular dripping strokes almost creates the image of a human head to the left of the work and possibly a large sun or even a Ferris wheel in the distance on the right side of the work.  It also appears that paint has been strategically placed to create the image of three persons standing.  This is rare for Pollock’s work to be deliberate as his method usually tries to allow the chaos of the paint dripping to do the creation.

Similar to the Pollock’s work, Lee Krasner created a work that appears to be using chaotic brush-stroke construction.  His 1965 work entitled Night Creatures “is comprised of a crowded, allover whirl of gestural strokes of paint in which every inch of the surface is fully activated in a rhythmic patterning” (“Lee Krasner” par. 1).  While Pollock used gravity and the whimsy of his own hands to let creativity land where it may on the canvas, Krasner forces gestured brush strokes to create the illusion of chaos on his work.  The coloring provides a similar dark, mysterious theme.  In this work, the presence of the dark red around the edge creates the illusion of blood or possibly of the night creatures escaping from Hell itself.  Krasner uses the same sharp movements and obese rounded strokes that are often found in works by Pollock.

Works Cited

“Jackson Pollock: Autumn Rhythm (Number 30).” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan, 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/57.92>.

“Jackson Pollock: Untitled.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan, 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1982.147.27>.

“Lee Krasner: Night Creatures.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan, 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1995.595>.