If you study Jackson Pollack's works you will see that he made an underpainting much like his early works that had more solid brush work and used shapes that he employed as an Abstract Expressionist. He then would apply paint in drips and splatters over this so that most of the canvas was covered. The examples shown don't seem to have the underpainting and therefore, too me, can't be a Jackson Pollack work.
Ken Schwab
San Jose, CA
----- Original Message ----
From: Judy Decker <judy.decker@gmail.com>
To: TeacherArtExchange Discussion Group <teacherartexchange@lists.pub.getty.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 6:06:40 AM
Subject: [teacherartexchange] Art and Math - Pollock and Fractals
Robert Hughes, the venerable art critic for Time magazine, stated in
1982 "It is impossible to make a forgery of Jackson Pollock's work".
It is certainly true that the physicality of his paintings, along with
Pollock's famed "pour" technique was forward-looking for its time.
Given this information, it is not surprising that previously unknown
works by Pollock that materialize draw close scrutiny from art
historians, and increasingly, scientists. This week, the New York
Times reported that Professor Richard Taylor of the University of
Oregon had utilized fractal geometry to examine 14 of Pollock's
painting to help determine, and perhaps put into question, the
authenticity of a cache of paintings found in 2003 in Wainscott, New
York. This cache of paintings was discovered by Alex Matter, whose
parents were friends with Pollock. Currently, Matter is planning a
large exhibition of these newly discovered works, and this growing
controversy has been closely followed among those in the art world.
Dr. Taylor has remarked that his examination of the works has revealed
"significant differences" between the patterns of these newer works
and those of known Pollock works. He also mentioned that "That's
either due to one person who is extremely varied, or it's due to a
number of different artists." [KMG]
The first link will take visitors to a piece from this Thursday's New
York Times, which discusses the recent computer analysis of the
paintings. The second link will whisk visitors away to a fine article
by The Oregonian's Richard L. Hill that discusses Dr. Taylor's
findings and the rising tide of controversy surrounding these works.
The third link will lead users to an intriguing piece from the
magazine, Nature, which explores the science behind Dr. Taylor's
investigations and Pollock's idiosyncratic style and manner. The
fourth link leads to a National Gallery of Art web exhibition on
Pollock and his work that begins with a rather intense photograph of
Pollock holding a cigarette to his forehead. The fifth link leads to
Dr. Taylor's homepage at the University of Oregon, where users may
read some of his compelling articles and other writings on his
analyses of Pollock's work through the use of fractal geometry. The
sixth and final link leads to a piece by Louis Menand, writing in The
New Yorker on the subject of American art and its function and
ideology during the Cold War. [KMG]
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shared here with permission.
