Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was an American abstract expressionist painter whose work had a major influence on the art world in the latter half of the 20th century. Pollock's unique style of painting, which involved dripping, pouring and splashing paint on large canvases stretched out on floors or walls, earned him the nickname "Jack the Dripper." Pollock died in a car crash in 1956 at the age of 44.GuggenheimCollection.org: Jackson Pollock Biography Ovation TV: Jackson Pollock

Many of Jackson Pollock's most recognizable works are pieces reflecting Pollock's unique technique of dripping, or pouring paints on un-stretched canvases. Several of the works are numbered, and many are quite large. Pollock's One: Number 31, 1950 takes up an entire wall in New York's Museum of Modern Art. MoMA describes the painting: "The canvas pulses with energy: strings and skeins of enamel, some matte, some glossy, weave and run, an intricate web of tans, blues, and grays lashed through with black and white."MoMA.org: Jackson Pollock: One: Number 31, 1950

In 2000, a film based on Jackson Pollock's life, Pollock, was released. Actor Ed Harris directed and starred in the film as the troubled painter. Harris' portrayal of Pollock earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor. While Harris did not win the coveted Oscar, his co-star, Marcia Gay Harden, did take home a statue for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Lee Krasner.BBC News: Pollock's Oscar surprise (March 26, 2001)