Jackson
Pollock
Jackson Pollock, the pioneer of Abstract Expressionism, revolutionised art with his iconic drip paintings, evoking chaos and redefining pictorial space. If you’re looking for original Jackson Pollock prints and editions for sale or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network’s most in-demand works.
Jackson Pollock art for sale
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Biography
Jackson Pollock, an emblematic figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement, revolutionised Modern Art with his distinctive drip paintings. His radical techniques and action painting style have made him one of the most influential and studied artists of the 20th century, propelling him to international fame and forever altering the landscape of American art.
Born on January 28, 1912, in Cody, Wyoming, Pollock was the youngest of five brothers. His family moved frequently, but it was in Los Angeles, where he attended Manual Arts High School, that Pollock first began to develop his artistic talents. Despite being expelled twice, his interest in art persisted. In 1930, moving to New York City, he enrolled at the Art Students League, studying under the tutelage of the regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton, whose rhythmic use of paint and focus on American life had a profound influence on Pollock's early work.
As Pollock's style evolved, he began to experiment with abstraction and the dynamics of paint. The 1940s marked a period of intense experimentation for Pollock, during which he developed his signature drip technique. Liberating himself from traditional tools and methods, Pollock placed his canvas on the floor and employed sticks, knives, and even his hands to manipulate paint with dynamic movements. This gestural approach, later termed ‘action painting’, was as much about the act of painting as the finished painting itself, and it positioned him at the forefront of the New York art scene.
This dynamic painting technique corresponds with Pollock’s lively approach to printmaking, which he explored between 1943 and the early 1950s. During this period, Pollock produced small-scale silkscreen prints in his studio as a means of developing his unique approach to painting.
In 1944-45, Pollock began his first serious exploration of printmaking, making 11 plates using etching and drypoint. Made in Atelier 17, Stanley William Hayter’s print studio in New York. These prints are characterised by bold, scribbled lines which are inscribed directly onto the copper plate without any preliminary sketches. These rhythmic, fluid lines mirror the gestural marks which characterise Pollock’s paintings. As Pollock's exploration in painting advanced, his printmaking style evolved as well. He integrated influences from artists he admired, such as Picasso, Miró, and Klee.
The years between 1947 and 1950 marked Pollock's particularly productive period, a time when he created some of his most famous works including Autumn Rhythm, Number 1A, and Blue Poles. These large-scale paintings showcased his ability to control the flow of paint with energy and precision, creating complex webs of interlacing colour and form. His innovative methods captivated the art world and were featured in a four-page spread in Life magazine in 1949, which famously asked, “Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?”
Despite his professional success, Pollock grappled with personal issues, including alcoholism, which ultimately led to his premature death in a car accident in 1956. However, his legacy endured. Pollock's work has been exhibited in major retrospectives and collections worldwide, including The Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Tate Modern, London.
Pollock's influence on Contemporary Art is profound. His commitment to exploring new approaches to painting challenged conventional notions of art-making and representation. His work invites viewers to experience the raw emotion that he channelled through each stroke and splatter.
