Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Jackson Pollock – Revolutionary Force in Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock (1912–1956) was an American painter and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century art. Best known for his drip technique, Pollock’s groundbreaking method of pouring and splattering paint directly onto canvas redefined the act of painting and gave rise to a new form of expression—one that emphasized gesture, movement, and energy over traditional composition.

Pollock emerged as a leading figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement in postwar America, a cultural shift that positioned New York as the new epicenter of modern art. He studied under Thomas Hart Benton but later rebelled against regionalist traditions to embrace the subconscious and the spontaneous, inspired by psychoanalysis, Native American art, and surrealist automatism.

His large-scale canvases, often painted on the floor, invite viewers into a chaotic yet structured universe—one that mirrors the complexities of human emotion and the rawness of the creative act. Though his life was tragically short, ending in a car accident at the age of 44, Pollock's legacy is enduring. His radical techniques continue to influence contemporary artists and challenge the boundaries of visual language.