One of us (not Susan) is a big fan of Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. So, whenever we visit MoMA, we return to the temporary Pollock exhibit.
On a recent visit, we noticed a small painting in the corner of the gallery, Free Form, a painting that had previously eluded us. It is a small drip painting, measuring about 14" x 19". Pollock painted dripped the canvas in 1946, shortly before his gigantic drip paintings during 1947-1950.
According to MoMA's curatorial staff, "Free Form is very likely Pollock's first 'drip' painting. He began by painting the entire canvas red and then added the black and white tangles and pools of paint by flinging and dripping diluted oil paint from a brush or stick."
If correct, then Free Form is invaluable. It represents Pollock's discovery of a new art form. It foreshadows the oversized masterpieces that Pollock will create in the years that follow. (One viewer thinks that the black forms resemble modern ballet dancers, cavorting and leaping.)
"The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through." - Jackson Pollock
Below is a photo of Free Form.
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| Free Form, Jackson Pollock (1946) |
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