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Jackson Pollock - Currently Unavailable
Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) is one of
the mythic figures of the 1960s. This "cowboy" from Wyoming
helped to forge the first great American art movement: Abstract Expressionism.
His famous "drip" paintings earned him both notoriety and abuse,
and the pressures of new-found celebrity compounded his lifelong struggle
with alcoholism, a fight he lost when he died in a car crash at the age
of 44. This portrait of the artist incorporates footage from the noted
Hans Namuth-Paul Falkenberg 1951 film, showing Pollock creating paintings
outdoors at his Long Island home and studio, as well as excerpts from
a radio interview with Pollock, who discusses his technique. Interviews
with his contemporaries provide insight into the talent and personality
of the artist, among them: writers B. H. Friedman and Jeffrey Potter;
critic and Pollock champion Clement Greenberg; Reuben Kadish, sculptor
and boyhood friend; curator William Rubin; Elaine de Kooning; as well
as Pollock's widow, artist Lee Krasner, and his mistress, Ruth Kligman,
who survived the fatal crash that killed Pollock.Curator's Comments: Manages to keep the focus on Pollock the artist, while also covering his tumultuous personal life. Shows numerous examples of Pollock's major canvases. The interviews, for the most part, are pertinent and contribute to a better understanding of this complex and troubled artist who was in control of his technique but whose personal life veered out of control. William Rubin pays tribute to Lee Krasner's brilliant handling of Pollock's estate, which contributed to the increase in the recognition and value of the work all the Abstract Expressionists. DATE: 1987 COUNTRY: Great Britain CREDITS: PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: TOPICS:
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