Painter Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) was a central figure in Abstract Expressionism. World famous during his lifetime, the artist primarily used technique dripping (or “dripping” in French), which consists of letting the paint flow onto the canvas, or sprinkling it with several different colors. A technique that its critics say “any child” can master.
In the latest research published in the journal Frontiers in Physics and reported by Ars Technica, seven researchers analyzed splash paintings made by adults and young children. They then compared it to Jackson Pollock’s work, showing that the children’s work was more similar to the artist’s work. A result that can be explained by a certain awkwardness in terms of balance, related to the painter’s physiology.
Richard Taylor, a physicist at the University of Oregon and co-author of the study, was the first to detect fractal patterns in Jackson Pollock’s seemingly random drops, in 2001. (Note that fractal images refer to mathematical objects that have the same structure at all scales, such as… romanesco cabbages.) Researchers then used this fractal analysis to try to differentiate Jackson Pollock’s work and its reproductions – this is the same technique used for the new comparative study with children.
At the time, Richard Taylor was particularly criticized for his attempt to use fractal analysis as a basic authentication tool to distinguish genuine Pollocks from fakes. The researcher admits that most of this criticism is justified, but to justify himself, he cites a 2015 study based on machine learning and relying, among other things, on fractal dimensions, which achieved a 93% accuracy rate in distinguishing real Pollocks from fakes.
The art of balance (im).
Richard Taylor was not the first scientist to detect the physical phenomena underlying Jackson Pollock’s masterpiece. Therefore, the painter must have relied on the principles of physics to create his work, whether he realized it or not. He played with the texture and viscosity of his paints, often adding solvents to thicken or thin them. A video from 1950 shows him at work, saying: “I control the flow of paint. Nothing happens by chance.”
Technique from dripping Pollock painting consisted of laying the canvas flat on the ground and pouring paint onto it. The artist then typically moves “rhythmically” around the canvas as he creates. “Popular works depict Pollock as a graceful ballet dancer, explained Richard Taylor. But in reality, Pollock was famous for his carelessness.
Other famous artists also had to face physical limitations that affected their work, such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh or Willem de Kooning. “I have always been fascinated by the fact that great works of art can emerge from what, in everyday life, are its limitations”Richard Taylor’s analysis. This is what makes researchers wonder whether Jackson Pollock’s lack of balance wasn’t the key to his creative process and the reason why children are better at imitating him than adults.
“When you look at a photo of Pollock, you see him bending over more than necessary, concluded Richard Taylor. Therefore, he is clearly not a victim of his physiology, he uses it to produce fractal fluidity effects. He didn’t realize it of course, but he felt a miracle when he found the perfect balance.”
