Automatism
A painting, drawing or writing process that aims to suppress rational thought, allowing the subconscious to take control. This spontaneous approach is associated with Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.
Biography
Born
1912
Died
1956
Nationality
American
Birth place
Cody
Death place
Maidstone
Born in Wyoming, Pollock became the figurehead of the American Abstract expressionist movement. It was partly because of him and his revolutionary style that the centre of interest of the art world shifted from Paris to New York after the Second World War. His fascination with Jungian psychology and the technique of automatism advocated by the Surrealists (many of whom moved to New York during the war) influenced him to abandon traditional methods of composition and technique. He developed what became known as an 'all-over manner', avoiding a compositional focus. Pollock often preferred to drip paint with the aid of sticks or a basting syringe, earning him the nickname 'Jack the Dripper'.
Glossary terms
Abstract Art
Art in which there is no attempt to represent anything existing in the world, particularly used from the twentieth century onwards. ‘Abstraction’ refers to the process of making images that may in part derive from the visible world but which are reduced to basic formal elements.