*****
No name but a number.
Trickles and valleys of paint
Devise this maze
Into a game of Monopoly
Without any bank. Into
A linoleum on the floor
In a dream. Into
Murals inside of the mind.
No similes here. Nothing
But paint. Such purity
Taxes the poem that speaks
Still of something in a place
Or at a time.
How to realize his question
Let alone his answer
Nancy Sullivan
No name but a number.
Trickles and valleys of paint
Devise this maze
Into a game of Monopoly
Without any bank. Into
A linoleum on the floor
In a dream. Into
Murals inside of the mind.
No similes here. Nothing
But paint. Such purity
Taxes the poem that speaks
Still of something in a place
Or at a time.
How to realize his question
Let alone his answer
Nancy Sullivan
About the artist
Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956)
an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was well known for his unique style of drip painting.
During his lifetime, Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety but at the same time struggled with alcoholism for most of his life. In 1945, he married the artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy.
Pollock died at the age of 44 in an alcohol-related, single-car accident; he was driving. In December 1956, several months after his death, Pollock was given a memorial exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. A larger, more comprehensive exhibition of his work was held there in 1967. In 1998 and 1999, his work was honored with large-scale retrospective exhibitions at MoMA and at The Tate in London.
In 2000, Pollock was the subject of the film Pollock, directed by and starring Ed Harris, which won an Academy Award.
an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was well known for his unique style of drip painting.
During his lifetime, Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety but at the same time struggled with alcoholism for most of his life. In 1945, he married the artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy.
Pollock died at the age of 44 in an alcohol-related, single-car accident; he was driving. In December 1956, several months after his death, Pollock was given a memorial exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. A larger, more comprehensive exhibition of his work was held there in 1967. In 1998 and 1999, his work was honored with large-scale retrospective exhibitions at MoMA and at The Tate in London.
In 2000, Pollock was the subject of the film Pollock, directed by and starring Ed Harris, which won an Academy Award.
"Comparison" between the poem and the painting
The peom and the painting are in different areas, the painting by Jackson Pollock is in abstract expressionism which means that the artist uses his/her own creation and imagination to express his/her feelings. On the other hand we have a poem. In abstarct expressionism artists usually choose it to do in a closed way, they put their feelings into abstact figures and artworks. Jackson Pollock who is a brilliant artist at his own field, expresses his feelings by simple brush strokes and dripping paint on a canvas, not wanting a particular shape. He doesn't plan how to splash the paint, it just flows at that moment when he is inspired and he lets the brush do the work for him. Even he doesn't know what he is actually feeling. The poem has the same atmosphere, the poet, Sullivan, doesn't know where she wants to go with her ideas she just lets them flow through the tip of her pencil. When Pollock thinks about something he doesn't quite happy with, he might get aggresive and his brush strokes and movements may get harsher and sharper and when he thinks about something pleasant, they might get softer and more feather-like touches onto the canvas. It is hard to understand what he was really thinking while creating this artwork. And the poem does not try to attribute any meanings to the poem and that's what I really liked about the poet's interpretation of the artwork. I personally think that people shouldn't discuss and try to persuade others on some assumptions that they make with just looking at artworks, and this poem completely expresses my feelings.
"No similes here. Nothing
But paint."
Painting has nothing that counts as a connection to artist's life, It is plain paint and simple. It doesn't have the concern of making people understand itself. It is free, it is the way that the artist expresses his freedom. The poem has the same purpose deep down, it does not try to prove something, it says that there is nothing that we can discuss about this painting because let alone the answer, we don't even know what the question is.
"How to realize his question
Let alone his answer"
How right would it be to compare two different pieces of art; one created with paint and one with words? The reason that there is "Art" in the world, is that people need to express their feelings in different ways, without being judged or critized. This artwork by Jackson Pollock and this poem by Nancy Sullivan should not be considered as two different things that should be compared. These are two halves of a whole, collaborating and helping each other just like art and poetry's perfect duet in life.
The peom and the painting are in different areas, the painting by Jackson Pollock is in abstract expressionism which means that the artist uses his/her own creation and imagination to express his/her feelings. On the other hand we have a poem. In abstarct expressionism artists usually choose it to do in a closed way, they put their feelings into abstact figures and artworks. Jackson Pollock who is a brilliant artist at his own field, expresses his feelings by simple brush strokes and dripping paint on a canvas, not wanting a particular shape. He doesn't plan how to splash the paint, it just flows at that moment when he is inspired and he lets the brush do the work for him. Even he doesn't know what he is actually feeling. The poem has the same atmosphere, the poet, Sullivan, doesn't know where she wants to go with her ideas she just lets them flow through the tip of her pencil. When Pollock thinks about something he doesn't quite happy with, he might get aggresive and his brush strokes and movements may get harsher and sharper and when he thinks about something pleasant, they might get softer and more feather-like touches onto the canvas. It is hard to understand what he was really thinking while creating this artwork. And the poem does not try to attribute any meanings to the poem and that's what I really liked about the poet's interpretation of the artwork. I personally think that people shouldn't discuss and try to persuade others on some assumptions that they make with just looking at artworks, and this poem completely expresses my feelings.
"No similes here. Nothing
But paint."
Painting has nothing that counts as a connection to artist's life, It is plain paint and simple. It doesn't have the concern of making people understand itself. It is free, it is the way that the artist expresses his freedom. The poem has the same purpose deep down, it does not try to prove something, it says that there is nothing that we can discuss about this painting because let alone the answer, we don't even know what the question is.
"How to realize his question
Let alone his answer"
How right would it be to compare two different pieces of art; one created with paint and one with words? The reason that there is "Art" in the world, is that people need to express their feelings in different ways, without being judged or critized. This artwork by Jackson Pollock and this poem by Nancy Sullivan should not be considered as two different things that should be compared. These are two halves of a whole, collaborating and helping each other just like art and poetry's perfect duet in life.