Jackson Pollock
American
Biography
Jackson Pollock was one of the most influential American painters of the 20th century and a central figure of Abstract Expressionism. He revolutionized painting with his “drip technique”, in which he poured, splashed, or dripped paint onto canvases laid on the floor.
Known for: Action painting, drip technique
Major works: Number 1A, 1948, Autumn Rhythm, Lavender Mist
Pollock abandoned the traditional easel. Instead, he placed large canvases on the floor of his studio, walking around them while dripping or pouring paint using sticks, hardened brushes, or directly from the can.
This process became known as Action Painting because the act of painting itself was part of the artwork.
Artworks
"I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own."
Did you know?
In the late 1990s, physicists noticed something surprising: Pollock’s drip paintings seemed to contain patterns similar to those found in nature. When analyzed mathematically, they showed characteristics of Fractals.
The paradox:
Pollock had no knowledge of fractal mathematics.
Yet through intuition and movement, he produced paintings that anticipate scientific discoveries about complexity and pattern.