Galaxy – Jackson Pollock
Art
• Art is the notion and intention of
generating original ideas
• Art is very subjective
• As long as the artist has intentions of
creating art, it is art
Galaxy
Jackson Pollock
1947
The Artist
• Jackson Pollock – an abstract expressionist
• Danced or moved vigorously while painting
• Embracing expressionism and movement
Content
• 1 of 4 paintings inspired by the night sky
• Helped in major transition from dense and
heavy style into light and lively style
• Splattered paint
• No foreground, mid-ground, or background
• Though the paintings may look effortless, this
is quite a technical process
• Highlights the beauty of movement
• Tells the viewer that they should not hesitate
to express themselves
Composition
• Involves splatters of paint
• Bright colours (black and white paint is
used in most of the paintings)
• The difference in the size of the splatters
makes the painting seem more natural
• Uses many contrasting colours so the
whole painting is very vibrant
Process
• Abstract expressionism, affected by
Surrealism and Indian sand painting
• Pollock would have the canvas on the
ground so that he could move all around it
and ‘be in the painting’
• Utilizes sticks, towels, knives
• Runny paint
Personal Opinion
• ‘Galaxy’ suggested to be one of his worst
paintings
• Kenny – random matter on a canvas, which
shouldn’t be considered as art
• Claudia – it carries a very strong message
with it, and the colours bring life to the
painting
• Jade – the individual and unique way it is
painted does not suggest complete
randomness, instead strong intentions and
meanings behind it
Intention Theory
• Art must be intentional
• Art is a combination of beauty and
aesthetics
• Requires a response
• Viewers are subjective
• Intentions cannot be certain
Quality of Work Theory
• If work is created with quality, it
should be considered art
• Some artists may not be
technically competent
• Training and talent do not
necessarily create good artwork
• Art is not only about skill and
technique, instead the expression
and meaning behind it
• People cannot judge art just
because of its complexity (e.g.
continuous line art)
Knowles & Maxim
1884
Response of Spectators Theory
• “Should art be judged by experts or
general viewers?”
• Again, viewers are subjective
• Different personalities and perspectives
• More dimensions can lead to a fairer
judgment of the artwork
Ways of Knowing
• Sense perception
– Different beliefs can lead to different opinions
about art
• Reason
– Theories can be used as reasoning to judge the
painting
• Emotion
– If the painting can relate to one’s past experience,
it can affect how the person judges the artwork
THE END