Examining Jackson Pollock's "Painting and a Dream"

In my Art Appreciation course, the midterm assignment is to visit a local art museum and pick out four paintings, one from an American artist, one from a European artist, and two from other cultures, and write an analysis of these pieces of art. The next four posts will be my analysis of the art I have chosen. So enjoy reading my midterm split into four pieces! 

Jackson Pollock’s Portrait and a Dream is a beautiful oil painting Pollock completed in 1953. Portrait and a Dream was finished just three years prior to Pollock’s death in 1956. I was struck by the way this painting is not only simple, but after looking, the meaning of this painting and its purpose becomes increasingly sad and complex. While the abstract self-portrait is at first hard to understand, after looking at the black lines on the left and the black and red and orange mass on the right, it is possible to come to see the meaning in the chaos.

Pollock once described the painting on the left hand side was a portrait of himself, the portrait on the right was a portrait of himself “when I’m not sober.” While the left side is simple black and white, the right is a mess of colors and motion. The haphazard lines in both paintings show the way Pollock knew he was spiraling out of control, turning into a violent and uncontrolled mess. The right portrait is attacked with the colors he used, irrefutably alive even through the mess and chaos. The border separating the two speaks of his discomfort in much the same way that Van Gough used color to try to communicate the way he saw the world.

Portrait and a Dream was created during a time in Pollock’s life when he fell prey to his alcoholism and most of his paintings were the abstract images that were but a cry for help. While this was created in the downward spiral of Pollock’s life, he “believed the mess inside of him was somehow communicable and beautiful” (Jones). Only three years after this painting was completed, Pollock died in a car crash while drunk. While this painting was made at the height of his painting career and was even called “the greatest living painter in America” this was also during the time when his alcoholism and temperament had worsened (O’Neill).

Pollock’s Portrait and a Dream is looking inward, towards the human experience. Because Pollock has told us that this is a self-portrait, this is the way he sees himself, the audience knows that the main theme of this piece. At first glance, it may be difficult to see the beauty in the chaos of Pollock’s mind, after taking the time to look at the painting and understand what he is evoking, it is easy to see the complex way that Pollock views himself. He knows he is a mess. He knows he is falling apart. But he also can see the beauty that can come from chaos.

After looking into this piece more thoroughly, I’ve realized that there is more than just chaos on the canvas. I can see how Pollock was struggling to make it through his life. It is tragic that such a brilliant man died so soon, we can only wonder about what he would have been able to accomplish. After learning more about Pollock and this particular painting, I feel as if this is an even more powerful piece and I admire his talent even more for putting such an exposed, private part of himself out into the public eye.