I’m still not quite sure what to make of Jackson Pollock’s work. My gut reaction to seeing his work is probably similar to that of many other people—sort of a “come on, really?!” exclamation. When we discovered that the most expensive painting ever sold was a Pollock piece, we heard a chorus of statements amounting to, basically, that a 2nd grader could produce better work. I have to agree. For all we know, Pollock’s paint rack might have fallen over onto his canvas one day, inadvertently (or conveniently) creating something resembling art. I personally don’t like Pollock’s paintings and can not begin to understand it. As an art layperson trying to “get” Pollock, I feel like a 2 year old trying to understand the federal tax code. Not that most adults do for that matter. But with that said, I have a hard criticizing somebody who can create works so widely successful and admired. What is it about Pollock’s paintings that give them such great value? I don’t know, and as such would not pay large sums of money for his work except as an investment perhaps.

Looking at Pollock through Tolstoy’s art theory (while it is still fresh in everyone’s heads), we can see that Pollock certainly satisfies Tolstoy’s first condition for art: individuality of feeling. From learning about Pollock’s background and viewing his short video, he clearly puts a great deal of emotion into every painting. To him, the paintings are his personality and feelings. Pollock says he wants to “express his feelings rather than illustrate them,” and he accomplishes this by being “in” the painting where he feels more at home. Similarly, Pollock is sincere in the emotion he tries to transmit. However, he personally falls short in my book in the clearness with which he transmits whatever he is trying to say. Maybe I am base and simpleton, but despite all the hype and high prices commanded by Pollock paintings, I simply do not understand his works.