Pollock

(1) I think that Jackson Pollock is a very interesting character. I went on to YouTube and watched the video that Allison and Susan tried to show in class. He had a raspy, smokers voice and was very pointed. Everything he said was matter-of-fact. I liked how confident he was. He told the "audience" that he loves painting on large canvases, getting into the painting and around all the corners, and not painting but expressing. The last idea is what really struck me about Pollock. He said that he does not paint...he expresses himself. Every drip, every stroke, every pour he makes is never an accident. He is painting to express how he feels, who he is, and to be in touch with nature. I did not like Pollock's work before I learned a bit about him. He does not seem superficial and interested only in the money. He seems to be dedicated to perfection, ready to argue his case, and absolutely sure of his pieces (because he is not afraid to throw them away if they are bad). I now have a greater appreciation for his paintings because I have a greater appreciation for the artist.

(2) I wanted to discuss Plato's imitation theory in more depth regarding Pollock's art. Plato argued that art is imitation of imitation. The first imitation being all things, which are simply replicas of a greater idea that no man could ever present. I think that Plato would look at Pollock's art and laugh at first. However, after listening to the man and developing a sense of why he paints and to what end he aspires to arrive, I think that Plato would deem Pollock closer to the true "idea" than any other artist. I say this because Pollock paints his feelings, his emotions, and himself. He does so in a purposeful way and assures critics that his strokes and drips are not accidental but in fact meant to be every time. Because Pollock's paintings are abstract, they are simple and pure. He associates himself with nature and frees himself from the boundaries of lines and shapes, precisely why I think that Plato would respect Pollock more than other artists.