Jackson Pollock: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Pollock's drip paintings look like a break with history, but they were built from Benton's rhythmic American muralism, Picasso's shattered figures, Jungian analysis, Navajo sand painting and the jazz records that ran constantly in his Springs studio. This mix traces the regionalist training and Surrealist automatism underneath the pours, the East Hampton scene around him, and the happenings and stain paintings that followed.

The Kynda mix for Jackson Pollock

• Key Influence · The Arts of Life in America by Thomas Hart Benton (1932). Pollock enrolled under Benton at the Art Students League in 1930 and worked as his studio assistant, even sitting as a model for his murals. Benton's method of building compositions on rhythmic swinging curves and a hollow-and-bump armature gave Pollock a structural logic he never abandoned. Pollock later said he had to reject Benton to find himself, but credited the regionalist with teaching him how a whole surface can be kept in motion.','','."}
• Influencia Obscura · Milky Way by Janet Sobel (1945). Sobel was a self-taught Ukrainian-born grandmother in Brooklyn who dripped and blew enamel into dense all-over fields before Pollock did. Clement Greenberg wrote that he and Pollock saw her paintings at Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century around 1944 and that Pollock admitted they had impressed him — the first all-over pictures Greenberg had ever seen. Her near-erasure from the story makes her the genuine hidden ancestor of the drip.
• Local Roots · Chief by Franz Kline (1950). Kline belonged to the same downtown Manhattan orbit of the Cedar Tavern, the Eighth Street Club and the 1951 Ninth Street Show that made Pollock's reputation possible. His black-and-white slashes, enlarged from small sketches with housepainter's brushes, pursue the same question of gesture at architectural scale. The two were central to the group of New York painters dubbed the Irascibles after the 1950 protest against the Metropolitan Museum.
• Beyond the Medium · Psychology of the Unconscious by C. G. Jung (1912). From 1939 Pollock was treated by Jungian analysts, notably Joseph Henderson, and brought drawings to his sessions as material for interpretation — a body of work now known as the psychoanalytic drawings. Jung's archetypes, mandalas and collective unconscious gave Pollock a vocabulary for titles like The She-Wolf and Guardians of the Secret, and a justification for trusting imagery that arrived unbidden from below conscious control.
• Peer · No. 61 (Rust and Blue) by Mark Rothko (1953). Rothko showed alongside Pollock at Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century, signed the 1950 Irascibles letter with him, and shared the ambition to replace figuration with an enveloping field that addresses the viewer bodily. Where Pollock drove toward velocity and line, Rothko slowed everything into stacked luminous rectangles — the two poles by which critics such as Greenberg and Rosenberg defined Abstract Expressionism.
• From the Canon · Male and Female by Jackson Pollock (1942). Painted at the moment Pollock met Krasner and entered John Graham's circle, this canvas shows the whole apparatus before the drip: Picasso-derived totemic figures, Jungian sexual symbolism, and — crucially — passages of dripped and spattered paint already crowding the margins. It explains the pours as the eventual victory of one small part of an earlier, crowded pictorial language over everything else in it.
• Key Collaborator · The Seasons by Lee Krasner (1957). Krasner married Pollock in 1945, moved him out to Springs, managed his dealers and critics, and was the first serious viewer of every canvas — she is the reason the 1940s breakthrough was recognised at all. The Seasons, painted the year after his death in the barn studio she inherited, is her answer to him: huge, swinging, pink and green, gesture reclaimed for her own body rather than absorbed into his legend.
• Legacy · Mountains and Sea by Helen Frankenthaler (1952). Frankenthaler visited Pollock's Springs studio with Greenberg in 1951 and came away convinced by his floor-based, poured method. Mountains and Sea answers it by thinning oil to soak directly into raw canvas, keeping the pour while discarding the macho drama. Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland saw the painting in her studio the following year, and the whole Color Field tendency descends from that chain of studio visits.

What influenced Jackson Pollock

• Lee Krasner. The text identifies Krasner as an influence on Pollock's art. (also via Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), The Seasons) “Krasner's extensive knowledge of modern art helped Pollock since she brought him up to date with what contemporary art should be. He was therefore able to make works that were more organized and cosmopolitan.” (Wikipedia)
• Thomas Hart Benton. Pollock studied under Benton. (also via The Arts of Life in America) “Since Krasner had learned from Hans Hofmann while Pollock received training from Thomas Hart Benton , each took different approaches to their work.” (Wikipedia)
• Joan Miró. Pollock is listed among the artists significantly influenced by Miró. (also via Male and Female, Jackson Pollock, The Birth of the World) “The work of Thomas Hart Benton , Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró influenced Pollock.” (Wikipedia)
• Pablo Picasso. Picasso is explicitly named as an influence on Pollock. (also via Guernica) “The work of Thomas Hart Benton , Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró influenced Pollock.” (Wikipedia)
• David Alfaro Siqueiros. Pollock learned about liquid paint at Siqueiros's workshop. (also via Collective Suicide) “Pollock was introduced to the use of liquid paint in 1936 at an experimental workshop in New York City by the Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros .” (Wikipedia)
• José Clemente Orozco. Orozco is identified as a major influence on Pollock. (also via The Epic of American Civilization) “Pollock was also heavily influenced by Mexican muralists , particularly José Clemente Orozco ,” (Wikipedia)
• Wolfgang Paalen. An article by Paalen influenced Pollock. “Another strong influence must have been Paalen's surrealist fumage technique, which appealed to painters looking for new ways to depict what was called the "unseen" or the "possible".” (Wikipedia)
• Janet Sobel. Sobel's work influenced Pollock's drip paintings. (also via Milky Way) “Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by the artist Janet Sobel ; the art critic Clement Greenberg would later report that Pollock "admitted" to him that Sobel's work "had made an impression on him."” (Wikipedia)
• The Arts of Life in America by Thomas Hart Benton (1932). The Arts of Life in America (Thomas Hart Benton) — titan for Jackson Pollock “In 1930, following his oldest brother Charles, Pollock moved to New York City, where they both studied under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Guernica by Pablo Picasso (1937). Guernica (Pablo Picasso) — titan for Jackson Pollock “== Artistry == === Influence and technique === The work of Thomas Hart Benton, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró influenced Pollock.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Matta. The account places Pollock at Matta's demonstration of fumage. “The technique was once demonstrated in Matta's workshop, about which Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith report, "Once, when Matta was demonstrating the Surrealist technique [Paalen's] Fumage, Jackson [Pollock] turned to (Peter) Busa a…” (Wikipedia)
• The Epic of American Civilization by José Clemente Orozco. Pollock traveled to study Orozco's mural. “That summer, Pollock went to Dartmouth College to study José Clemente Orozco 's 3,200 square foot mural, The Epic of American Civilization .” (Wikipedia)
• The Birth of the World by Joan Miró (1925). The Birth of the World (Joan Miró) — titan for Jackson Pollock “== Artistry == === Influence and technique === The work of Thomas Hart Benton, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró influenced Pollock.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Collective Suicide by David Alfaro Siqueiros (1936). Collective Suicide (David Alfaro Siqueiros) — ghost for Jackson Pollock “== Career (1936–1954) == Pollock was introduced to the use of liquid paint in 1936 at an experimental workshop in New York City by the Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Prometheus. Pollock expressed particular admiration for Orozco's fresco. “whose fresco Prometheus he would later call "the greatest painting in North America".” (Wikipedia)
• Milky Way by Janet Sobel (1945). Milky Way (Janet Sobel) — ghost for Jackson Pollock “Pollock's drip paintings were influenced by the artist Janet Sobel; the art critic Clement Greenberg would later report that Pollock "admitted" to him that Sobel's work "had made an impression on him." Pollock's work after 1951 was darke…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• System and Dialectics of Art by John D. Graham (1937). System and Dialectics of Art (John D. Graham) — ghost for Jackson Pollock “Graham served as a mentor to younger artists such as Jackson Pollock, Richard Pousette-Dart, Willem de Kooning, and Arshile Gorky.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• West End Blues by Louis Armstrong (1928). West End Blues (Louis Armstrong) — culture for Jackson Pollock (musicbrainz.org)
• Navajo dry sand painting by Navajo (Diné) hataałii. Navajo dry sand painting (Navajo (Diné) hataałii) — culture for Jackson Pollock
• Psychology of the Unconscious by C. G. Jung (1912). Psychology of the Unconscious (C. G. Jung) — culture for Jackson Pollock

Peers and kindred spirits

• Willem de Kooning. Krasner introduced Pollock to de Kooning. (also via Excavation) “Additionally, Krasner was responsible for introducing Pollock to many artists, collectors, and critics who appreciated abstract art such as Willem de Kooning , Peggy Guggenheim , and Clement Greenberg .” (Wikipedia)
• Clement Greenberg (1909). Krasner introduced Pollock to Greenberg. (also via Art and Culture) “Additionally, Krasner was responsible for introducing Pollock to many artists, collectors, and critics who appreciated abstract art such as Willem de Kooning , Peggy Guggenheim , and Clement Greenberg .” (Wikipedia)
• Alfonso Ossorio. Pollock became acquainted with Ossorio through Krasner. (also via Congregation: Fox and Geese) “Through her friendship with collector and artist Alfonso Ossorio , Pollock also became acquainted with Ossorio and Joseph Glasco .” (Wikipedia)
• Barnett Newman (1905). Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (Jackson Pollock) — geography for Barnett Newman (via Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), Onement I) (wikidata.org)
• Onement I by Barnett Newman (1948). Onement I (Barnett Newman) — peer for Jackson Pollock “Newman was unappreciated as an artist for much of his life, being overlooked in favor of more colorful characters such as Jackson Pollock.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Excavation by Willem de Kooning (1950). Excavation (Willem de Kooning) — geography for Jackson Pollock “Other painters in this group included Jackson Pollock, Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Franz Kline, Arshile Gorky, Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, John Ferren, Nell Blaine, Conrad Marca-Relli, James Brooks, Adolph Gottlieb, Jack Tworkov, Norm…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• 1957-D No. 1 by Clyfford Still (1957). 1957-D No. 1 (Clyfford Still) — peer for Jackson Pollock “His shift from representational to abstract painting occurred between 1938 and 1942, earlier than his colleagues like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, who continued to paint in figurative-surrealist styles well into the 1940s.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Jackson Pollock 51 by Hans Namuth (1951). Jackson Pollock 51 (Hans Namuth) — collaborator for Jackson Pollock “The technique was once demonstrated in Matta's workshop, about which Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith report, "Once, when Matta was demonstrating the Surrealist technique [Paalen's] Fumage, Jackson [Pollock] turned to (Peter) Busa a…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Art and Culture by Clement Greenberg (1961). Art and Culture (Clement Greenberg) — collaborator for Jackson Pollock “After seeing the big mural, the art critic Clement Greenberg wrote: "I took one look at it and I thought, 'Now that's great art,' and I knew Jackson was the greatest painter this country had produced." The catalog introducing his first e…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Peggy Guggenheim. Krasner introduced Pollock to Guggenheim. “Additionally, Krasner was responsible for introducing Pollock to many artists, collectors, and critics who appreciated abstract art such as Willem de Kooning , Peggy Guggenheim , and Clement Greenberg .” (Wikipedia)
• Congregation: Fox and Geese by Alfonso Ossorio (1959). Congregation: Fox and Geese (Alfonso Ossorio) — geography for Jackson Pollock “Eventually, Pollock became famous for his "drip" paintings and was the subject of an article in the 8 August 1949 issue of LIFE titled "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" Thanks to the mediation of …” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Chief by Franz Kline (1950). Chief (Franz Kline) — geography for Jackson Pollock “Kline, along with other action painters like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, John Ferren, and Lee Krasner, as well as local poets, dancers, and musicians, came to be known as the informal group, the New York School.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• No. 61 (Rust and Blue) by Mark Rothko (1953). No. 61 (Rust and Blue) (Mark Rothko) — peer for Jackson Pollock “The 1952 "Fifteen Americans" show curated by Dorothy Canning Miller at the Museum of Modern Art formally heralded the abstract artists and included works by Jackson Pollock and William Baziotes.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Seasons by Lee Krasner (1957). The Seasons (Lee Krasner) — collaborator for Jackson Pollock “In 1945, he married artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Tatyana Grosman. Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (Jackson Pollock) — geography for Tatyana Grosman (via Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)) (wikidata.org)

Who Jackson Pollock influenced

• Helen Frankenthaler (1928). Article states Frankenthaler was influenced by Jackson Pollock's paintings. (also via Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), Mountains and Sea) “she was influenced by Greenberg, Hans Hofmann , and Jackson Pollock 's paintings” (Wikipedia)
• Joseph Glasco. Pollock influenced Glasco's artistic development. “Throughout his life, Glasco continued to reflect on Pollock's artistic influence, particularly in the early to mid-1970s when his style changed to all-over collage paintings with their emphasis on rhythm and process.” (Wikipedia)
• Allan Kaprow. Kaprow was influenced by Pollock's emphasis on the creative process. (also via 18 Happenings in 6 Parts) “The Happenings artist Allan Kaprow , sculptors Richard Serra and Eva Hesse , and many contemporary artists have retained Pollock's emphasis on the process of creation; they were influenced by his approach to the process, rather than the …” (Wikipedia)
• Morris Louis. Louis adapted Pollock's staining practice. (also via Veil) “Pollock's staining into raw canvas was adapted by the Color Field painters Helen Frankenthaler and Morris Louis .” (Wikipedia)
• Pollock. The film is about Jackson Pollock’s life. “Krasner was portrayed by Marcia Gay Harden in the film Pollock (2000), which is about the life of her husband Jackson Pollock .” (Wikipedia)
• Yayoi Kusama (1929). Her Infinity Nets series compared to Pollock's work. “garnered comparisons to the work of Jackson Pollock , Mark Rothko , and Barnett Newman” (Wikipedia)
• Frank Pietronigro. The artist’s retrospective describes his drift-painting method in relation to Pollock’s. (also via Number 1A, 1948) “While Jackson Pollock used gravity to create a kinetic web on a two-dimensional surface, Pietronigro appropriated his logic and inverted it.” (Frank Pietronigro)
• Richard Serra. Serra was influenced by Pollock's emphasis on the creative process. “The Happenings artist Allan Kaprow , sculptors Richard Serra and Eva Hesse , and many contemporary artists have retained Pollock's emphasis on the process of creation; they were influenced by his approach to the process, rather than the …” (Wikipedia)
• Eva Hesse. Hesse was influenced by Pollock's emphasis on the creative process. “The Happenings artist Allan Kaprow , sculptors Richard Serra and Eva Hesse , and many contemporary artists have retained Pollock's emphasis on the process of creation; they were influenced by his approach to the process, rather than the …” (Wikipedia)
• Ex Machina by Alex Garland (2014). A character in Ex Machina explicitly uses Pollock's painting process as a comparison. “A pivotal scene in the film contains a monologue where antagonist Nathan Bateman describes the central challenge of artificial intelligence as engineering a cognitive state that is "not deliberate, not random, but somewhere in between," …” (Wikipedia)
• Halston. Halston adapted Pollock's art into fashion designs. “For his fall 1974 collection, he adapted works by artists Frank Stella , Jackson Pollock , and Andy Warhol onto chiffon and matte jersey dresses.” (Wikipedia)
• Don Van Vliet. The article reports a comparison between Van Vliet's paintings and Pollock's work, not a stated influence. “others have compared his paintings to the work of Jackson Pollock , Franz Kline , Antonin Artaud , [ 13 ] Francis Bacon , [ 28 ] Vincent van Gogh , and Mark Rothko .” (Wikipedia)
• Mountains and Sea by Helen Frankenthaler. Mountains and Sea (Helen Frankenthaler) — legacy for Jackson Pollock “== Legacy == === Influence === Pollock's staining into raw canvas was adapted by the Color Field painters Helen Frankenthaler and Morris Louis.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Keith Haring (1958). Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (Jackson Pollock) — titan for Keith Haring (via Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)) “Haring had a maintenance job at the Pittsburgh Arts and Crafts Center and was able to explore the art of Jean Dubuffet, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Tobey.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Accountant. Pollock's painting appears throughout The Accountant. (via Free Form) “Pollock's painting Free Form is shown throughout the 2016 movie The Accountant .” (Wikipedia)
• Veil by Morris Louis (1958). Veil (Morris Louis) — legacy for Jackson Pollock “== Legacy == === Influence === Pollock's staining into raw canvas was adapted by the Color Field painters Helen Frankenthaler and Morris Louis.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• 18 Happenings in 6 Parts by Allan Kaprow (1959). 18 Happenings in 6 Parts (Allan Kaprow) — legacy for Jackson Pollock “The Happenings artist Allan Kaprow, sculptors Richard Serra and Eva Hesse, and many contemporary artists have retained Pollock's emphasis on the process of creation; they were influenced by his approach to the process, rather than the lo…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Patti Smith. Blue Poles (Jackson Pollock) — culture for Patti Smith (via Blue Poles) (wikidata.org)
• Billy Wilder's Marché aux Puces. Bustos in Wilder's exhibited series were splattered in a manner likened to Pollock.
• Frank Stella. In the discussion of Pollock's legacy, Stella is linked to his all-over compositional approach.
• Kathryn Bigelow (1951). Number 1A, 1948 (Jackson Pollock) — culture for Kathryn Bigelow (via Number 1A, 1948)
• Ornette Coleman (1930). The White Angel (Jackson Pollock) — culture for Ornette Coleman (via The White Angel)