Five Wild Facts About Jackson Pollock

Anna Harvey
Artupia Stories
Published in
2 min readJan 28, 2021

American artist, Paul Jackson Pollock, or as he was more commonly known, Jackson Pollock, was renowned for his unique method of splashing household paint onto canvas. This frenetic artistic style was praised by some and criticised by others, dividing the 20th century art world.

On what would have been his 108th birthday, we decided to take a look into the volatile world of ‘Jack the Dripper.’

1. His Action Painting technique was a ‘controlled accident.’

Jackson Pollock ‘Action Painting’

Jackson adopted this techniquebecause it allowed him to view his work from all angles, being described as drip painting, all-over painting and action painting due to the physical force required.

When describing his technique, Jackson claimed: ‘my painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting.’

2. The titles of his artworks are very important

Jackson Pollock, Number 14, 1951

Pollock’s decision to replace titles with numbers was a measured move, insisting numbers are neutral and allow the viewer to interpret the painting freely without a preconceived idea offered by the title.

This, therefore, enriches the piece as viewers are able see the painting for what it is as opposed to what they think it should be…

…Want to keep reading? Click here.

--

--