Jun 1, 2021
Jackson Pollock’s paintings are a piece of absolute music if you hear it with your eyes
A few months ago I went to the MET and MoMa to see Jackson Pollock’s paintings. I chose his art to see among other artists because, first, I admire his artwork, and second, I happen to see a film called “Mona Lisa Smile” just right before I planned my trip to the museum. One scene that caught my attention in the film was when professor Katherine Watson teaching art history showed painting Number 1, Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock to her class. She said to her students: “Do me a favor. Do yourselves a favor. Stop talking, and look. You’re not required to write a paper. You’re not even required to like it. You *are* required to consider it”. She was looking at every stroke of the paint on canvas with such admiration that made me want to see Pollock’s artwork in person. The film inspired me to look at some things from another perspective. I liked the fact that the film was about a time when women’s roles were rigidly defined back in the 1950s; every woman wanted to get married and be happy or pretend to be the one. However, professor Katherine Watson changed the students’ perception about being happy through art. Wellesley College (despite its academic reputation) was an environment where success was measured by how well the students marry. “Encouraging these women to strive for a more enlightened future, Watson challenged the administration and inspired her students to look beyond the image of what was, and consider the possibilities of what could be–contrary to popular belief”.
Visiting the exibition I learnt that Jackson Pollock was famous for his technique of pouring and splashing liquid household paint onto a horizontal surface. He was able to capture motion on the canvas not by mimicking it or creating an optical illusion, but through dripping color on a canvas.
There is no central point to focus on, no hierarchy of elements, nor composition, but there is a painting that lives its own life and it’s interesting to observe every detail. I could stare at the painting for a while losing myself in it and at the same time finding myself there, too.
Color twirls and the lines created intense energy that reflects from the painting. I think many people see chaos in most of Pollock’s paintings, but I found peace and heard music with my eyes, which was unfolding just in front of me.
