[New-Poetry] Poetic Justice

[Bob Grumman]

Judy Prince wrote:
> I love Pollock's drip paintings, as do most folk who know his work. 
>  Spent a wonderful summer some 20 yrs ago reading all I could find 
> about JP as well as Franz Kline and Mark Rothko, all whose works 
> appealed to me.  Two bits I recall from a fascinating bio of JP re his 
> drip paintings were, first, his participating in and being encouraged 
> to fling and spatter new kinds of 'paints' by Mexican muralist David 
> Alfaro Siqueiros', and, second, Pollock as a kid with his father and 
> brothers, pissing on [thereby creating designs on] rocks somewhere in 
> the Southwest [USA].  
>
> BTW, Bob, I know a little about visual art; I'm a published illustrator.
>
> Regarding my using Warhol and Pollock as examples of 
> less-than-Breathtaking artists, I'm applying my own theory that 
> Breathtaking art requires two elements:  fresh and meaningful contexts.
What would you call Pollock's?  To me, his first  of two breakthroughs 
was into freeing the brush from the brush&canvas fusion.  It seems a 
small thing, but it was major, like van Gogh's  loosening the 
brush&canvas fusion.  Result of both: greater visceral expressiveness.  
Pollock's second breakthrough was to dance paintings, or express 
muscularity into painting.  Consequently, he was first to reach the 
ultimate primitive layer at the bottom of all art.  The context is the 
sequence of painting from representationality to impressionism to 
expressionism to so-called abstract art to abstract expressionism.  I 
don't see how you can deny his final step in this sequence the highest 
freshness and meaningfulness.
> Naturally, we revert to your discussion earlier about HOW creative an 
> artist is.  Since all artists 'borrow' from other artists or 
> non-artists, we try to assess how they've 'gone beyond' the 
> influences, how their work differs from them.  That's one bit.  The 
> other is less intellectual:  How are those fresh 'takes' meaningfully 
> contexted?  Regarding the two elements of 'fresh' and 'meaningful', 
> we'll have a continuum of opinions.  You find JP on the Breathtaking 
> end; I don't. 
What painters do you put at the Breathtaking end?
>
> Enjoyable discussion, this.
I think so, too, thanks to you and Linda Sue.

--Bob