Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Pollock’s painting Blue Poles, also known as Number 11, 1952, glorified its author as an abstract expressionist. It is written on canvas with enamel and aluminum paint with glass (Pollock, 1952). The artist introduced a radically new style and surprised people. This style is still incomprehensible to part of the audience and is perceived critically. Moreover, the painting has a controversial history of creation but paved the way for bold and innovative actions in art (National Gallery of Australia (NGA), 2018). Even though the canvas seems careless, its elements are carefully thought out.

Blue poles, at first glance, may seem like a work of no value, like inked canvas. However, a detailed study of the picture showed fractal nature in patterns, thereby proving the painting’s value (Alvarez-Ramirez et al., 2019; Messham-Muir, 2015). Thoughtful and accurate patterns, their complexity in composition also indicates that Pollock entirely painted the picture despite suspicions of other artists’ involvement (NGA, 2018). According to Wolfe (n.d.), the formation of such a drip-style of the artist was influenced by World War II events. Unable to reflect on all the horrors of the war or facing a creative impasse after the horrible events, artists could not engage in fine art. Pollock, in turn, came up with “action painting,” which gave him freedom in expression (Wolfe, AD). The technique became popular, revealing a new art page.

Blue poles are also a reflection of the artist’s internal state. According to Messham-Muir (2015), the picture is a psychological manifestation, while the artist suffered from depression at that time. I would like to share the approach of Messham-Muir (2015), not asking typical questions about whether everyone can do such a thing but considering the context and what the artist puts into his work. Although these connections do not relate to my life, I believe that events like those that influenced Pollock are essential. War, or other traumatic circumstances such as terrorism, are reflected in the internal state of people. As a result, the artist suffered from depression, and in other people, such confusion can cause similar disorders. The picture simultaneously reflects the entanglement of life, trauma, consciousness, and chaos.

This work was not censored by the government, as its controversy is manifested in style and not in the image. Censorship is a rather matter of dispute as it may limit creativity and its manifestations, and for this reason, its application to art, I consider unjustified. However, the role in this issue is also played by the division of what is an art and what is not. For example, the use of artists and their works for propaganda and manipulation can be limited through censorship.

Thus, the Blue Poles created by Jackson Pollock demonstrate his unique style, his invention of “action painting.” The significance and influence of the painting are that thanks to an innovative approach, it inspired other artists to be bold in their work. Moreover, the new style helped the creators move on after the traumatic events of World War II. According to Martin and Jacobus (2018), real art should be a revelation, which distinguishes it from artlike pieces. I believe that having evaluated the context in which the picture was created and its significance, the Blue Poles meet this requirement and is an example of art. Its value and importance are also confirmed by Messham-Muir (2015), Wolfe (n.d.), and Alvarez-Ramirez et al. (2019). The meaning that the audience can see in the painting also makes it a critical subject of art.

References

Alvarez-Ramirez, J., Rodriguez, E., Martinez-Martinez, F., & Echeverria, J. C. (2019). Fractality of Riopelle abstract expressionism paintings (1949–1953): A comparison with Pollock’s paintings. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 526, 1-12. Web.

Martin, F. D., & Jacobus, L. A. (2018). The humanities through the arts. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Messham-Muir, K. (2015). Here’s looking at: Blue poles by Jackson Pollock. The Conversation. Web.

National Gallery of Australia (NGA). (2018). Painted by drunks! Medium. Web.

Pollock, J. (1952). Blue poles (Number 11, 1952) [painting]. National Gallery of Australia (NGA), Canberra, Australia.

Wolfe, S. (n.d.). Stories of iconic artworks: How Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles caused an uproar in Australia. Artland. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, June 22). Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pollocks-painting-blue-poles/

Work Cited

"Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles." IvyPanda, 22 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/pollocks-painting-blue-poles/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles'. 22 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles." June 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pollocks-painting-blue-poles/.

1. IvyPanda. "Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles." June 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pollocks-painting-blue-poles/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Pollock’s Painting Blue Poles." June 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/pollocks-painting-blue-poles/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1