reviving the dripper -- doubling-down in Dallas

There’s a big Jackson Pollock retro in Dallas and a review caught my eye -- “Museum exhibitions don't often reverse the conventional wisdom on a major artist,” going on the suggest “a 180-degree turn.” Thinking that it would be strange indeed to remove the keystone from the entire edifice of modern art, found out it was really a reevaluation of his “failed” period, easel versions of larger drip formats, upgraded to something better. That’s a relief. He was the famous ‘icebreaker,’ and didn’t Life Magazine ask in a 1949 story, "Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" History questions the motive here. 

His singular accomplishment was to “unhinge line from its ancient role as the means with which to describe a figure against a ground,” and that represents a giant leap forward, don’t we all agree? In his work, “suggestions of linear figures (or fragments of figures) are self-evident — heads, eyes, birds, claws, reclining or seated nudes, ghostly specters and more,” but it was up to the viewer to find them, like faces in clouds and popcorn animals. 

The real problem with his “failed” period was not realizing the success of his drip method had largely been a matter of scale, that ten feet of anything is pretty impressive, but the same thing the size of a traditional painting not so much. In this gallant effort a large tax sucking institution down in Texas is hoping to generate a little interest in merchandize too long on the shelf. Good luck. I’m sure millions will move back and forth on paper. 

Down in Texas they like to ‘head’em up’ and ‘drive’em to market,’ not so fast. If you suddenly feel the quivering urge to “reevaluate” those failed little messes just because they say so, your herd instincts are strong but you’re not likely to find much joy in art and not much personal affirmation, that is unless you’re an emotionally deprived, ego-maniacal terminal alcoholic like Jackson. Maybe there’s a market in Texas, but that’s far from here. 

We would all like to belong, and if you’re willing to pay the dues to join the cultural elite, to invest in tokens representing your financial commitment to status ascension, buy one of these little orphan Pollock’s for an insane price and show all your friends. Should however caution those living in Kentucky that once in a while folks might suspect you’re a rube with too much money.