Impressions of Museum Or Gallery Exhibit

Introduction to Iconic Artworks

The first work of art that I saw was Jackson Pollock's One: Number 31, painted in 1950. Jackson Pollock was an American painter known for his incredible artistic skills using oil and enamel on a canvas that is 8ft 10 inches in height and 17ft 6 inches wide. Pollock’s paintings house colors of blue, grey, black, and white on an off-white canvas. He designed this unique abstract painting by placing the canvas on the floor as he walked around it, dripping paint. Drip style painting is a unique style that Pollock is renowned for. There are a variety of lines ranging from long, short, thin, and thick within Pollock’s paintings that are literally all over the place. Only when the canvas is out of the frame can one see the masterpiece entirely. You can also see the canvas within the painting because the lines do have spaces in between them. I chose this painting because of the endless possibilities of where the lines start and end, much like the endless journeys that life offers. Although I have not had the pleasure of standing in front of the painting, looking at the picture allows you to get lost in it. I find myself tracing the lines to see where they lead me. This painting gives me a feeling of freedom in the middle of chaos (Karmel, 1999).

Impressions of Museum or Gallery Exhibit

The second piece that I have chosen is Woman I by Willem de Kooning, painted from 1950-52. This painting is also an abstract oil painting created by an American painter during the early 1950s. It is one of six paintings of women that de Kooning painted. The woman in the painting is not your typical seductive figure; she is very chesty with wide and broad shoulders. Her teeth overpower her smile, and her eyes are big, her lips very thin with big long feet. I chose this painting because it gives me a feeling of a strong woman with internal conflict. The colors in her skirt suggest that although in conflict, there is still some light shining. This depiction challenges the traditional portrayal of femininity and invites viewers to reconsider their perceptions of strength and vulnerability (Stevens & Swan, 2004).

The final piece that I chose is Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso, painted in the summer of 1921. Picasso, a Spanish painter, created this work during the Cubism era. The size of this painting is equivalent to the size of a door. This piece showcases Picasso's confidence, depicting three musicians that take up most of the canvas. There is a singing monk with sheet music representing one of his friends who joined a monastery, the masked hero representing a friend who was a poet, and a harlequin representing Picasso himself, with a dog under the piano. I chose this painting because of the jazzy feel it imparts. The abstracted figures evoke the atmosphere of a jazz bar in New Orleans. The dog in the picture makes you wonder where it came from, adding an element of mystery and spontaneity to the scene. Picasso’s inclusion of personal elements in his work allows for a deeper connection with the viewer (Richardson, 1991).

Conclusion: The Emotional Resonance of Abstract Art

The three paintings I chose caught my eye and made it easy for me to sit and study them. They awakened feelings in me that I can describe to the best of my abilities. Abstract art speaks to the imagination of a person and evokes enjoyable feelings, at least they did for me. Each painting I chose gave me a sense of adventure. Pollock’s painting represents endless possibilities of different ways a situation could go. The Woman I put me in the mind of my internal conflicts, often related to life-changing events. De Kooning showed his internal conflict through the background of the painting and the masculine feel of the woman portrayed.

Picasso’s painting spoke to my musical side, and learning about the purpose behind his painting was very interesting to me. The musicians in the painting were representations of himself and two of his friends. Picasso made this piece personal, yet he portrayed the upbeat side of his friendships, highlighting the joy and camaraderie that defined their relationships (Green, 2000).

References:

• Karmel, P. (1999). Jackson Pollock: Interviews, Articles, and Reviews. The Museum of Modern Art.
• Stevens, M., & Swan, A. (2004). de Kooning: An American Master. Alfred A. Knopf.
• Richardson, J. (1991). A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932. Alfred A. Knopf.
• Green, C. (2000). Picasso: Architecture and Vertigo. Yale University Press.