POST #9 Abstract Expressionism

Abstract expressionism was a movement that became relevant during the mid-1940's. Painters such as Jackson Pollock used action painting to create large abstract works of splatter paint on giant canvas'. The emotion behind such works gave excitement to the American art scene by the way the colors and movements in creating the pieces were used. Ideally, America is known as the "land of the free" and I would like to think that abstract expressionism helped mold this idea of freedom through art by allowing artists to break the mold of shape and color. In certain pieces, Jackson Pollock tried to portray violence. I believe he was trying to show how violent Americans can be at times. He showed passion and energy. For example, in his piece "Lavender Mist" (1950) the tiny black striations help produce a dark tone to the overall piece that in my opinion shows American hypocrisy. It also is dusted with pink highlights that represent so called "american freedom".

Jackson Pollock, Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist),1950, National Gallery of Art, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1976.37.1