Spring Break
Pollock Exhibit Is Short On Size But Not On Content
Tom Crosby
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Focus
"Jackson," a new exhibit at the UConn Art Building's Contemporary Art Galleries, opened Monday and runs through Nov. 30. The exhibit, which features pieces inspired by the works of Jackson Pollock, has created quite a buzz in the art community, prompting a review by The New York Times.
Works by Robert Arneson, Janine Antoni, Sue Williams, Patty Chang, Red Grooms and Joe Fig, line the deep purple walls of the short exhibit. And the fact that the exhibit is so short adds to its appeal; although every piece is displayed in just one room, the format of the gallery is rather digestible and easy to comprehend for newcomers and art enthusiasts alike.
Professor Barry Rosenberg, director of Contemporary Art Galleries the and creator of the exhibit, described the project as inspired by "the effect of Pollock's abstract expressionism on contemporary artists." According to Professor Rosenberg, Pollock's authentic pieces range in price from millions of dollars to absolutely priceless. For this reason, the exhibit sticks to pieces that root their inspiration in Pollock's art. However, as a whole, the exhibit is representative of the tortured artist's catalogue, with pieces that examine, mimic and even critique his unique, controversial style.
Some of the pieces at the exhibit are utterly moving; others are subtly humorous. Some bring out the darkness and turbulence that affected every aspect of Pollock's life. Together, they create a good sense of who the man was.
The darkest piece, a representation of the demons that haunted the artist's life, is a large canvas by Robert Arneson, directly inspired by Pollock's abstract expressionism. It depicts the scene that ended his life, an iconic Paris car accident in 1956, as he fell victim to his alcoholism. Chilling self-realizations and manifestations of Satan clutter the foreground of a 1950s Oldsmobile convertible, a criticism on his consumerism and consumption, the main players in his demise. The piece, which is worth a trip in itself, lies adjacent to a hilarious video clip of Woody Allen in 1972's "Play it Again, Sam," in which Allen tries to pick up a museum-goer only to find that she plans to commit suicide the following Saturday night. Allen responds, "What about Friday night?" The whole exhibit, brilliantly arranged by Rosenberg, plays off the emotions masterfully, moving from dark to light with each transition.
Janine Antoni and Patty Chang take care of the weirder aspects of the gallery. In two separate video clips, Antoni utilizes the Pollock style of ground painting to dip her own hair in Loving Care hair dye (which, consequently, became the name of the piece), and proceeds to paint a hardwood floor with her soaking mane. Chang dances in slow motion before a fan spraying paint onto her body. Words cannot say enough about these clips and they are also worth a trip to the free exhibit.
This interactive, multimedia exhibit is definitely an enlightening, sometimes emotional and amusing experience. This is not to be missed by anyone with any interest in art or those just looking to educate themselves about one of the most influential American artists in history.
Contact Tom Crosby at
Tom.Crosby@UConn.edu.
Works by Robert Arneson, Janine Antoni, Sue Williams, Patty Chang, Red Grooms and Joe Fig, line the deep purple walls of the short exhibit. And the fact that the exhibit is so short adds to its appeal; although every piece is displayed in just one room, the format of the gallery is rather digestible and easy to comprehend for newcomers and art enthusiasts alike.
Professor Barry Rosenberg, director of Contemporary Art Galleries the and creator of the exhibit, described the project as inspired by "the effect of Pollock's abstract expressionism on contemporary artists." According to Professor Rosenberg, Pollock's authentic pieces range in price from millions of dollars to absolutely priceless. For this reason, the exhibit sticks to pieces that root their inspiration in Pollock's art. However, as a whole, the exhibit is representative of the tortured artist's catalogue, with pieces that examine, mimic and even critique his unique, controversial style.
Some of the pieces at the exhibit are utterly moving; others are subtly humorous. Some bring out the darkness and turbulence that affected every aspect of Pollock's life. Together, they create a good sense of who the man was.
The darkest piece, a representation of the demons that haunted the artist's life, is a large canvas by Robert Arneson, directly inspired by Pollock's abstract expressionism. It depicts the scene that ended his life, an iconic Paris car accident in 1956, as he fell victim to his alcoholism. Chilling self-realizations and manifestations of Satan clutter the foreground of a 1950s Oldsmobile convertible, a criticism on his consumerism and consumption, the main players in his demise. The piece, which is worth a trip in itself, lies adjacent to a hilarious video clip of Woody Allen in 1972's "Play it Again, Sam," in which Allen tries to pick up a museum-goer only to find that she plans to commit suicide the following Saturday night. Allen responds, "What about Friday night?" The whole exhibit, brilliantly arranged by Rosenberg, plays off the emotions masterfully, moving from dark to light with each transition.
Janine Antoni and Patty Chang take care of the weirder aspects of the gallery. In two separate video clips, Antoni utilizes the Pollock style of ground painting to dip her own hair in Loving Care hair dye (which, consequently, became the name of the piece), and proceeds to paint a hardwood floor with her soaking mane. Chang dances in slow motion before a fan spraying paint onto her body. Words cannot say enough about these clips and they are also worth a trip to the free exhibit.
This interactive, multimedia exhibit is definitely an enlightening, sometimes emotional and amusing experience. This is not to be missed by anyone with any interest in art or those just looking to educate themselves about one of the most influential American artists in history.
Contact Tom Crosby at
Tom.Crosby@UConn.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Glen Anthony
posted 10/10/07 @ 9:41 AM EST
A Paris car wreck? Is that what their calling Springs now?
Post a Comment