Heather Chambers

Primary School playground spray paint Mural 

Heather Chambers

“Let Us Attempt To See” -Wassily Kandinsky

Throughout this essay the motives and concepts behind Abstract Art and Abstract Expressionist Art will be explored, as well as the theories and movements behind the aesthetics of the works of collectives. I will compare their significant changes to show exactly how and why they differ. I will explore controversial perspectives about abstract expressionism and critically explain how the contextual and personal issues shaped artists into personas. The primary sources I am going to use will come from books, websites and documentaries.

The first thread of information I looked at was the movement itself, which then lead me to look at Jackson Pollock and fellow founders of Abstract Expressionism. This highlighted the relevance of contextual issues at the time of the movement, interesting me to search for new perspectives of outsiders. One of the consistent topics from the outsiders was Romanticism and the idea of masquerades, this then provoked me to find even more information about Pollock’s background, and where his behaviour in art came from. I found a correlation of inspiration and reasons why pollock became an abstract expressionist, such as: Influences of abstract artists, influences of their theories and methods. Pollock’s home; the West - where came his ideas of rituals and ceremonious disposable art.

The image that was the initial starting point of this essay is a photograph by Hans Namuth of Pollock in action at his studio, 1950. This image is a definitive landmark of Pollock’s career as this was the period that Pollock was in the attention of the media, he had developed a persona and romanticism from the public’s perspective. The following year Hans Namuth released a film of Pollock in ‘action’. This was the start of fame, a boundary had been removed from between the public and pollock, and they could see a personal documentation of him, and so a mask began to form and Pollock the western, dominant, creative, controversial male, action painter was fabricated.

Personalisation dictated this late part of Pollock’s career. His work was one of the first to involve an unavoidable sense of self, fully recognisable to the viewer. The marks evident on the canvas let the viewer conjure up a sequence of Pollock’s movements and actions in their head. In Matthew Collings ‘The Rules Of Abstraction’, Collings interviews and visits a selection of abstract artists and analyses past work of the movements. He interviews Albert Irvin and he quotes “brush marks are verbs”. He is referring to the evidence of how an artist works to create more of an identity. The film, photographs, and the exposure that hans namuth created of pollock even more so encouraged the outsiders to view pollock as a character, or a persona. Pollock’s image was the start of the commercial, celebrity obsession in the 1960’s between outsiders and intangible exteriors of such like Andy warhol, Marilyn Monroe, and James dean.

This performance that Abstract Expressionists had acquired; in particular Jackson Pollock, originated from the west. Aboriginal art of the South West worked in the same way Pollock had. They worked on the floor, in the sand and directly created the piece, they would put themselves into the artwork - in the same way that Pollock did, a sacrilegious and ritualistic manner. In Pollock’s own words “Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.” detail and permanence of techniques was not important, to Pollock or to the western art.

The ritual involved interpreting the elders of the cults dreams, that had been passed down generations from man to boy. Ceremonies took place to present the piece that depicted the dream to the rest of the cult, before this sacred ceremony. The piece wouldn’t be allowed to be seen by the women of the cult, as the males dominated. In this same way, through his method of working, Pollock received the same status.

In ‘The Meeting Of Eastern And Western Art’ by Michael Sullivan it is expressed that Practising a western style of art was becoming increasingly popular in the 1950’s. After Pollock opened the door to exciting cultured art, other Western artwork was being exhibited in MOMA. Franz Kline an abstract expressionist was admired by japanese artist Morita, and was placed under the category of ‘abstract calligraphy’. A critic regarded some of his work as ‘happy accidents’ referring to the similar spontaneous nature of work that Jackson Pollock possessed. He was viewed as a male who dominated the horizontal canvas in a sacred, spiritual approach.

The unconscious mind explored by the western cults, was also a fascination of Jackson Pollock’s. He was constantly attempting to illustrate his emotions and his mind. He works in this simple, activistic way, of large swoops, and drips on the canvas, to make movements as pure as possible so that they would summon his unconscious. He worked fast, and vigorously, as opposed to thinking about a finished piece, he didn't think -  that way he could access his mind more easily. In ‘Freud’ by anthony storr, it is mentioned about freud’s technique of ‘free association’ which was a process of his client being able to make spontaneous associations, may it be thoughts or fantasies and to voice them as soon as they appear in their mind.  This would be an easy and effective way to gain access to his client’s unconscious. Noticeably this is extremely similar to Pollock’s way of working, he definitely took inspiration from Sigmund Freud’s techniques. Freud quotes that dreams are “primitive and irrational, ignored logic syntax, and the criteria defining time and space.” (Stor p34) This definition could well be mistaken for describing one of Pollock’s paintings, Pollock knew not of time and space as his work was ever living, always unfinished, and only temporary. The realness in Pollock’s work (especially in his point of view) was in the process of creating it, as so it was to the western sand painters.

No Logic Creativity is the epitome of Pollock’s nature of work. The word ‘Zeumb’ deriving from the indian language, means no logic creativity. This word was Offered to Kazimir Malevich in 1915 by his poet acquaintances, this was around the movement of Abstract Art, before Abstract Expressionism had emerged. Malevich was a prominent part within this movement as he was the founder of Supremacy, which is the theory of the “pure artistic feeling of work rather than the depiction of objects”. In supremity and spirituality within Abstract art, the main subject was to translate the intangible sources of spirituality that all of the Abstract artists of the time were experiencing.‘Kazimir Malevich: The Climax Of Disclosure’ by Rainer Crone, and David Moos quotes, “The rift between transmission and reception occupies Malevich’s thought, and throughout he formulates a dialectic which revolves around the art object, as the mediating component in the relationship between the artist, and the audience”. Here the writer is explaining the methodological approach of malevich’s work and how he tries to communicate with the audience through minimalistic lines, shapes, and colours. The Supremacist's believed that this was their ‘language’ to translate their spiritual experiences or feelings. In a similar light, Jackson Pollock also was using a ‘language’ of movements and spontaneity to capture and translate his unconscious.  

The theory of theosophy definitely took a great place in Pollock’s life whether he knew it or not. Theosophy is the theoretical perspective to ‘see beyond the natural world’ this was also a spiritually lead movement similar to Supremetism. Many artists including Lee krasner - Pollock’s wife, were trying to achieve a reflection of their own ‘individual psyches’. The theory had many significant followers, many of which had made definitive impressions on pollock. Kandinsky, Kupka, Malevich, and Mondrian all varied in abstraction and theosophy. In ‘Theosophy and the Emergence Of Modern Abstract Art’ by Kathleen Hall, she explains how artists who followed this theory believed they were "able to see beyond and into the natural world, as well as gaining an understanding of ancient wisdom and cosmic principles of our existence” spirituality in abstract art was growing, along with a parallel interest in mysticism early 1900’s. This spiritual persona is one which Jackson Pollock was also famous for possessing. He was quoted as saying things like “i am nature” in response to challenging questions of past, un-approving professors. The quality of being spiritual was a romanticized one which was clasped onto by the outsiders, this was one of Pollock’s great trademarks. He was a renegade in the eyes of the audience.

Significantly, on the surface, through the media; Jackson Pollock was, and is still depicted as a Western - American, dominant, masculine, Primal artist, of similar regard is his work too. In the 1950’s, the high of Pollock’s career, males were as prominent as brandings, and coca cola, any social status for women was subdued. The way of Pollock’s working reflects this in itself - The new buildings of modern skyscrapers, and tall stacked shelves of brand after brand, New york was being subjugated, and revived in its old fashioned society of the male ‘bread winner’. The city was overshadowing the country, fast paced, vigorous, bold movements and lifestyles were important. It looked as though history was repeating itself, tossing aside its women, taking advantage of them laying down, pressing clothes, scanning shopping isles, horizontally bound, it was unheard of for a woman to express, or to project. Some may say, Pollock’s work, especially the process of making was a great depiction of the issues between gender roles in the 1950’s in New York. Vertically controlling the piece, like a towering building inhabiting the sidewalks. As the newly fashioned shopping isles bombarded people’s way of living. And as the typical important male artist, stands vertical, opposing his female model, laying horizontal - about to become shaped into whatever he wishes, just as the piece lying on the floor, like a woman, their master was Pollock.

The rules of Abstraction, 2014. Directed by Graham strong, United Kingdom, Blakeway Productions. (Documentary)

Anfam , D A, 1990. Abstract Expressionism. 1st ed. United kingdom: Thames&Hudson Ltd.

Leja, L, 1996. Reframing abstract expressionism. 1st ed. America: Yale University Press.

ullivan, M S , 1981. The meeting of eastern and western art. 1st ed. berkeley: University of California Press.

Storr, A S, 2001. Frued. 1st ed. London: Oxford University Press.

Kazimir Malevich: The Climax of Disclosure - Rainer Crone, David Moos - Google Books. 2015. Kazimir Malevich: The Climax of Disclosure - Rainer Crone, David Moos - Google Books. [ONLINE] Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=WYaeyK-cTPIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Kazimir+Malevich:+The+Climax+Of+Disclosure’+by+Rainer+Crone,&ots=naAG0UdAQv&sig=n-VB39j2M47VrQQPz-V0e7Bo9RY#v=onepage&q=Kazimir%20Malevich%3A%20The%20Climax%20Of%20Disclosure’%20by%20Rainer%20Crone%2C&f=false. [

Art, Theosophy, and Kandinsky. 2015. Art, Theosophy, and Kandinsky. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theosophyforward.com/theosophy-and-the-society-in-the-public-eye/381-art-theosophy-and-kandinsky.

The Gift: Short story ‘Unforgiving Light’. In the melancholy land of school, there plodding the hallways was a young sanguine boy. Encased in a redbrick building, beneath the debris of muted paint, inside austere stone walls, freedom dies, devils disguised as saints, lifeless fake lilies and statues of pencils; Amongst the vultures cloaked in blazers, were the innocents. Soaked in the stench of council houses, deviance, diversity, intellect and shame.

Back then I called myself Dendrophilia, or Den. I was a child of the trees, a soul of the earth. Dendrophilia was my anointed name for my love and reign of nature. I needed to have a new name, they'd tarnished my human one. Oh how colourful I was, I could walk through an alley and it would shine through my eyes, I could make the piss glisten. I could look into the faces of those oppressing lumps of children while they scorned me and see the milky way. And I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night, never mind those bastards. I would dance rings around them in my head, throwing all sorts of shapes their way, I could spatter them in paint and make them look like a pollock, using the blood they've drawn from me every time they bust my nose. Yeah, Jackson Pollock would be proud. But no, I am peace, I am king of light, I will only wash over those delinquents with forgiveness and love, 'the grass is only going to be greener if I water it, nurture it.' I said.

Most evenings I would walk along the spines of trees, fallen soldiers. As my mind bathed in the tiny suns spotlights, my left arm would become shadowed over the exact same crease in my skin every time I stood beneath that tree. It always felt the same, the breath of purity casting over my shoulder, like the exhale of joyous relief when you are set free. My eyes would glide over the silhouettes standing layered, like a million outreaching fingers of guidance. My sighs would shed twirls of light on the glitter in the air of autumns nights, and I would move with them. Nature is teacher of all, I have never seen someone dance with such mellifluous silence like the leaves when we are together.

The next morning my flippant columns of limbs and strings receive a torturing tickle, they'd become dusty at yet another dawn. Tedious noon doom elevates evaporating my unconsciousness, repetition creeps into the prison, and the boulder beacon moulds a prism against the white, never-refelecting walls. No twinkling reflection on the melting hall as my eye never looks at all. How I wish to gaze into the morning enthrallment of my misused, misshapen, aching pupils, and revel in how they warp small Warp into small my maze brain doth, as the day doesn't move at all Visiting procrastinating Picasso, I bid greetings to his seven fingers; both bellybutton and mind tinglingly-tall prickly nails inhale and exhale, breath sets sail for failing, failure sets sail for breathing once more. Blackened crispy, salivating, golden coating wraps around and adapts my foot to continuously being a bore, and my legs have forgotten the intention shoes were for. How my hours and dancing toes were wasted in that playground and laminate floor when I could of been dancing with the earth or flirting with the shore. Not forgetting about the feeling that school place bore;

It fills up my throat with other worldly danger. All of its friends come to visit the occasion, the devil inhabiting the manger of my soul. The first king brings dread, The second king brings bottled sweat, and the third king brings trepidation.

3 kings were guided to the climax of my sweltering throat, following a thread of an intangible thought, hung by the sky of inexplainable feeling and invisible nonsense,