NGA Assignment

I think we all would agree that one of the main purposes of an artwork is to evoke a reaction or a feeling in the viewer. I'm also sure we all would agree that the reaction or feeling garnered by the artwork is not always a positive one. I thought I would share the experience of one not so positive reaction.

Jackson Pollock's "Blue Poles: No. 11 1952"

Here we can see the piece courtesy of the National Gallery Of Victoria website (the NGA's website appears to be down at the moment)
















I personally fail to see anything in or about this piece that could be labled artistic. I have always found it hard to respect "artwork" that looks like it was created by a 5 year old who imbibed a little too much red cordial. What I find even more astonishing is the rather significant popularity of this piece, however with that said this piece has polarized art critics and the like the world over.
We all have different tastes, and this is a perfect illustration of that fact.

When I view this painting, all I see is the nonsensical drippings of a very volatile human being who spent much of his relatively short life at the bottom of a bottle.For those who don't know, it was the drink that ultimately got him killed, Jackson Pollock died when he crashed his car while under the influence at the age of 44.

Perhaps in a way this painting (and many of his others, as they are all quite similar in appearance) are a reflection of Jackson's chaotic and unstable lifestyle. Maybe I might have a different, or perhaps just a more open, view on this piece if I wasn't aware of what Jackson Pollock was like as a person, but frankly thats all I see when I look at "Blue Poles"

References
Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/images/EXHI000344_600.jpg