Is some of this stuff really art?

[Don_Lapre]

Pollock's large "drip" paintings, I'm talking at least 8 X 15 ft, are quite beautiful and overwelming in person. You really get a sense of his energy and movement. Pollock's idea was to become part of his paintings as he had to step on the canvas to work since they were so large. When Pollock was critized he stated that he wanted his audience to look at his paintings as they would appreciate a beautiful sky, vast field of flowers, a deep forest, etc.. He said that people had difficulty accepting his art because what he has doing was new and his ideas were a radical concept towards art at the time.

I've personally never attempted to recreate a Pollock but critics and other artists claim that Pollock's technique is difficult to recreate and there is careful thought behind his paint strokes. I believe them. His paintings do have a wonderful balance of thin strokes, thick strokes, globs, drips, long strokes, energetic strokes, etc.. There is also a thoughtful rhythm in many of the paintings although they appear random. So he wasn't just randomly dripping paint everywhere.



*the movie "Pollock" starring Ed Harris is very good and describes Pollock's artist ideas and turbulent life well, although the film is depressing.