Educational Activities for Ovation's Documentary Jackson Pollock

Educational Activities for Ovation’s documentary Jackson Pollock

Grade Level – 9-12

Materials for teacher - Ovation’s Arts Ed Toolkit educational resources http://www.ovationtv.com/education/ - Programming clips for the Ovation documentary Jackson Pollock - Visual arts activities

Note: It is recommended that teachers view all program clips and related web links contained in these activities prior to using the resources in class.

Standards

National Core Arts Standards – Visual Arts High School Activities and resources contained in this document support the areas of: - Creating - Presenting - Responding - Connecting

National Visual Arts Standards

Grades 9-12

1. Content Standard:

Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes

2. Content Standard:

Using knowledge of structures and functions

3. Content Standard:

Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas

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4. Content Standard:

Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

5. Content Standard:

Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others

Overview of Resources Students will gain understanding of the life, career, and artworks of the legendary Abstract Expressionist artist, Jackson Pollock. Students will explore the artistic styles of important Abstract Expressionists, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning – focusing on techniques and mediums used in their paintings. They will view selected footage from a documentary about Pollock. Students will learn and discuss the relevance of attracting support of influential individuals, professionally and personally. Students will engage in art-making activities. They will evaluate their own work and the work of other students.

Overview of Activities There are three parts to these activities.

Activity 1 – 2 days, 45 minute classes Students will explore the life, career, and influencers of a legendary 20th century modern artist. They will explore themes, artistic styles, creative processes, in addition to exploring painting techniques, materials and colors used in a particular artist’s creations. Students will view select footage from a documentary, and will research information on the Internet about individuals and artworks related to the Abstract Expressionism movement in the U.S.

Activity 2 – 3 days, 45 minute classes Students will collaborate and engage in an art-making activity, painting miniature action artworks on paper. They will analyze and evaluate the merits of their own work and the work of other students.

Activity 3 – 4 days, 45 minute classes Students will engage in an art-making activity, painting action artwork on canvas. They will analyze and evaluate the merits of their own work and the work of other students.

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Instructional Objectives Students will:

 Become acquainted with the history of Abstract Expressionism  Identify artwork of the Abstract Expressionism movement  Know about key artists from the Abstract Expressionism movement  Discuss the artwork of select Abstract Expressionists and describe their emotional reaction to the work  Collaborate and discover the manner in which Abstract Expressionists work  Learn how to improvise while creating action artwork  Create action artwork resonating with the style of a significant Abstract Expressionist artist  Analyze and discuss artworks created in class

Supplies, for use in Activity 2 and Activity 3

 computers with Internet access  White Board, or  laptop computer, screen and speakers  journal in binder format  Program clips from Ovation documentary, Jackson Pollock  images of specific artwork  blank writing paper and pens  paper toweling  materials for art-making exercises, including: o construction paper (for Activity 2) o canvases (for Activity 3; size TBD by teacher) o watercolor or acrylic paints (for Activity 2) o narrow artist paint brushes and long sticks o sponges o spray bottles o large roles of plastic drop cloths or newspaper o cans of latex house paint in colors: white, black, bright blue, crimson, bright yellow (for Activity 3)

Activity 1 Homework – Introduction & Motivation exercise

Subject Related Words The teacher will relate the following list of words and definitions to the students for use during class discussions and in their note-taking activities. This information was selected, specifically for its correlation to words used in association with these resources, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/ The students can obtain additional meanings for these words and usage from this website.

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abstract expressionism (often capitalized) noun :an artistic movement of the mid-20th century comprising diverse styles and techniques and emphasizing especially an artist’s liberty to convey attitudes and emotions through nontraditional and usually nonrepresentational means accessible adjective :capable of being reached: capable of being understood or appreciated aesthetic adjective :appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; also, responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses allover adjective :covering the whole extent or surface authentic adjective :real or genuine :not copied or false centrifugal adjective 1 :proceeding or acting in a direction away from a center or axis 2 :using or acting by centrifugal force composition noun :the act or process of composing; specifically: arrangement into specific proportion or relation and especially into artistic form

configuration noun 1b: something (as a figure, contour, pattern, or apparatus) that results from a particular arrangement of parts or components design verb :to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan: to conceive and plan out in the mind dimension noun :the quality of spatial extension: MAGNITUDE, SIZE c: a lifelike or realistic quality d: the range over which or the degree to which something extends: SCOPE – usually used in plural impasto noun 1 :the thick application of a pigment to a canvas or panel in painting; also, the body of pigment so applied layer noun 2a :one thickness, course, or fold laid or lying over or under another lyricism noun 2a :an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (as poetry or music) process noun :a series of actions or operations conducing to an end; especially: a continuous operation or treatment especially in manufacture resonate verb: to have a particular meaning or importance for someone: to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way

Page | 4 spontaneity noun 2: voluntary or undetermined action or movement theme noun : a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern

Activity 1 – Day 1 Class work

The teacher will show students selected program clips of Ovation’s documentary, Jackson Pollock. Each clip is approximately two to three minutes in length. The teacher may decide to stream some or all the program clips. After viewing each clip it is suggested that the teacher engage the students in a discussion, utilizing some or all of the discussion points listed below. The teacher will ask students to make notes in their binders about artists’ lives, creative ideas, styles, artworks and techniques, in addition to other related issues highlighted in the program clips.

Clip 1 Discussion Points - As you observe the opening sequences of this program, make a list of visuals, cultural aspects, energy and tone of the depicted era. - Share your list of words with peers in class and note variations or similarities in the words used to describe the elements.

Clip 2 Discussion Points - Observe these images of Jackson Pollock’s early artworks, in particular his work in association with Thomas Hart Benton. What styles, compositions, images, tones, and energy that you observe may or may not reflect the early tumult and experiences of what is described as Pollock’s early personal life? - Expand on your ideas.

Clip 3 Discussion Points - Here Clement Greenberg states that Pollock was one of the nicest human beings when he was sober. He also states that Pollock’s only justification was his art. “Otherwise he was this hopeless drunk,” stated Greenberg. Focus on these comments and the conflicting character it conveys of Pollock. As you view Pollock’s artworks, discuss the qualities and characteristics that might point up this part of his nature. - It is stated here that in the late 1930s Pollock came under the influence of Picasso, working in the vein of Picasso. After viewing the Pollock paintings in

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this segment, focus upon and discuss overall composition of these artworks, objects, structures, palettes, and use of gestural brush strokes. - Take time to review the painting Guardians of the Secret and continue to analyze the elements of this painting. In analyzing the work, also focus on the feeling or emotion it evokes in you. In your opinion, does it resonate with the cubist style of Picasso? If so, expand on your opinion.

Clip 4 Discussion Points - It is stated here that Pollock battered through his paintings with very aggressive brush work. Observe possible evidence of this style and the probable emotion connected to this quality. Do you agree or disagree with the statement about this aggressiveness? If so, cite specific elements apparent in his style. - After learning about the early acquaintance and association of Pollock with artist Lee Krasner, discuss the significance of this relationship, and its impact on his evolution as an emerging modern artist.

Activity 1 - Day 2 Class work

The teacher will show students selected program clips of Ovation’s documentary, Jackson Pollock. Each clip is approximately two to three minutes in length. The teacher may decide to stream some or all the program clips. After viewing each clip it is suggested that the teacher engage the students in a discussion, utilizing some or all of the discussion points listed below. The teacher will ask students to make notes in their binders about artists’ lives, creative ideas, styles, artworks and related techniques, in addition to other significant issues highlighted in the program clips.

Clip 5 Discussion Points - Observe Jackson Pollock’s first masterpiece, Mural. Discuss the artistic aspects of this painting, focusing on the scale, overall composition, emotion, energy, images and colors. - What specific images do you observe in this painting? Make a list of the images. - It is stated here that the influential critic of the era Clement Greenberg, said of this work, that it contributed to singling out Pollock as the strongest painter of his generation. - What overall attributes of Mural do you believe would support Greenberg’s assessment of Pollock? Page | 6

- As Pollock and Krasner settled in East Hampton, NY, he launched the technique of dripping paints on canvas. It is stated here that although Pollock wasn’t the first “dripper,” he was the first artist to turn the technique into a major artistic statement. In your opinion, what is most significant about that statement? - Expand on the attributes of this technique. In your opinion, what emotions and sensations do they convey to the viewer?

Clip 6 Discussion Points - As Pollock continued in this “drip” technique he eventually took his canvas from the easel and onto the floor, dancing around the edges and tossing ribbons of pigment from a stick onto the canvas. Contemplate this change in process. In your opinion, what attributes of the paintings you see in this segment appear as a result of the fluid movement of dancing around a canvas at every angle and corner? - Observe the paintings in this segment, making a list of singular words describing emotions, energy and tones of the paintings.

Clip 7 Discussion Points - As you view Pollock’s paintings featured during this segment, in particular Lavender Mist, focus on the comment made that the paintings were of startling delicacy, quivering subtlety, and lyrical calm. Do you agree or disagree with these assessments? If so, or if not, expand on your opinion. - What other artistic qualities do you observe as you view these paintings? - In 1949 LIFE Magazine published an article about Pollock, asking “Jackson Pollock, is he the greatest living artist in the United States?” In your opinion, what is apparent in the overall style, tone, and artistic attributes in Pollock’s paintings during this period that would prompt the magazine to lead the article with this question? - If you were to fast-forward to today’s art environment in the U.S., what artist do you believe a major national magazine would be referring to? Expand on your reasons for selecting a specific artist. - Do you agree with the comments in this segment about Pollock’s paintings of the late 1940s to early 1950s? Do you observe them as being free, open, alive? If so, or if not, expand on your opinions.

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Clip 8 Discussion Points - During this segment we learn of the tragic end to Pollock’s life at 44 years old. - It is stated here, that unlike Andy Warhol, whose pictures of soup cans and Marilyn Monroe brought on a new age of irony, that Pollock by contrast didn’t have an ironic bone in his body. Focus on the significance of this comment. As you view the paintings of Jackson Pollock, in particular during his most successful years as an artist, in the late 1940s – early 1950s, discuss how a lack of irony is evident in his masterpiece paintings. - Do you agree that Pollock’s paintings were daring, brazen, and wild? If so, discuss the elements of his style, overall compositions, colors, and the technique, which contributed to these assessments of his masterpiece paintings. - The U.S. government celebrated Pollock’s legacy by featuring his image on a postage stamp. If you were asked to select a contemporary artist in the U.S. to feature on a postage stamp, which artist would that be? What distinctive qualities of the artist you selected would garner this honor?

Activity 2

Student Discovery and Research Prior to Activity: Homework The teacher will ask the students to research background information about Abstract Expressionism, and noted artists related to that movement, on the Internet. Following are suggested websites for use in this activity.

Related Links

Abstract Expressionism http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/abex/hd_abex.htm

Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC – The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History essay about Abstract Expressionism

Jackson Pollock http://www.pkf.org/

The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Inc. – description of the Foundation’s mission, details about grants and grantees, frequently asked questions and press releases

Page | 8 http://www.nga.gov/feature/pollock/

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. – featuring select artworks of Pollock – details about his life, mentors and artistic transitional periods http://search.moma.org/?q=jackson+pollock&q1=The%2BCollection&x1=category

Museum of Modern Art – collection of Pollock’s significant paintings, including images of artwork, details of sizes, mediums, history of collectors http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_129.html

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – biographical sketch of Pollock’s personal and professional milestones, influencers and major shows http://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/259

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art – Jackson Pollock’s masterpiece, Guardians of the Secret, with details of size, collection history and medium.

Lee Krasner http://www.theartstory.org/artist-krasner-lee.htm

TheArtStory.org – artist’s biography, legacy, key art, quotes and more

http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/pkhouse/story/krasner1.shtml

Pollock Krasner House and Study Center – from Stony Brook University

Artists’ biographies, key art, house, and studio

Willem de Kooning http://www.theartstory.org/artist-de-kooning-willem.htm

TheArtStory.org – artist’s ideas, biography, key art, legacy

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/153632/Willem-de-Kooning

Encyclopedia Britannica – artist’s life, career, artworks

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Activity 2 – Part A - Day 1 Class work Introduction to Abstract Expressionism

The students will be introduced to the world of Abstract Expressionism. By viewing paintings from the artistic movement. They will discover the importance of the Abstract Expressionism in the world of art, especially American art in the 20th century.

Abstract Expressionism, New York City, and Long Island, NY 1935 - 1975; focusing on two renowned artists of that movement.

The teacher will show students select images of significant artworks by Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. Use the following websites to view the works and engage in relevant information about the compositions, use of medium, themes, and techniques.

Jackson Pollock

Mural

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/abstract-exp-nyschool/abstract- expressionism/a/jackson-pollock-mural

Number 1 1950 (Lavender Mist)

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/highlights/highlight55819.html

Autumn Rhythm

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/57.92

Willem de Kooning

Ashville

http://www.phillipscollection.org/research/american_art/artwork/deKooning- Asheville.htm

Door to the River

http://collection.whitney.org/#object/1089

Whose Name Was Writ in Water

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artwork/997

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Following the viewing of artworks the teacher will have students discuss the difference in styles. Explain to students that each artist created their works at different speeds – Pollock fast, energetic, aggressive; De Kooning, sweeping broad-brush strokes. Ask students to discuss evidence of their different techniques, use of color and scope of the paintings. Ask students to describe what different feelings are evoked in them when viewing the work of these artists.

The teacher will explain to students that the artists, early in their careers, were strongly influenced by European masters; Jackson Pollock by Picasso, and De Kooning by Matisse. Ask students to research styles of these European masters to determine areas of influence. Encourage students to explore via the Internet paintings by the four artists and have them compare/contrast the styles. The teacher will ask the students to make notes in their binders as they explore and gain understanding of these artists and their significant artworks.

Overview of Jackson Pollock’s career and key influencers in his life

The teacher will have students discuss Pollock’s early years in Cody, WY and Los Angeles, CA. Discuss the idea that Jackson Pollock understood early in his life that he would be a significant artist, even though he lacked the natural ability to draft.

The teacher will have students discuss the key figures in Pollock’s artistic journey when he arrived in New York City, and when he and his wife Lee Krasner transitioned to Long Island, NY. Ask the students to relate the names and importance of other Abstract Expressionists, leading art critics, and most importantly his wife, artist Lee Krasner. Following are some ideas and topics to explore during the discussion.

- Individuals who helped to define Pollock’s style o Supported him by giving exposure to his paintings o Engaged him in prestigious gallery and museum exhibits

Continue to discuss sequences in the program relating to Pollock’s career

- What were some critical achievements and triumphs? - What was his most important signature style, and how did it evolve? - What were the distinctive periods in Pollock’s painting career during his years in New York City and later in Long Island, NY? - How would you describe the style and tone relating to each of the periods of his artistic journey?

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- In your opinion does Pollock remain a legend in modern art, some 60 years after his death? If so, what attributes of his life, career, and artworks support that assessment?

Activity 2 – Part B – 2 Days

Class work – Collaboration Introduction to dripping and improvisation – Practicing the process

Objectives of Activity - The students will o Understand the process of collaboration o Understand how to improvise o Become acquainted with creating artworks using various skills and tools, i.e. sticks, brushes, sponges o Acknowledge and use a “controlled freedom” in creating artwork o Create “drip” paintings inspired by key themes assigned to student groups

Supplies  sticks  brushes  drop cloths  acrylic and/or water color paints  tape  construction paper  sink  paper towels  newspaper

Miniature action paintings

The teacher will divide the class into three groups, and assign each group one of the following concepts for use as inspiration in the miniature action paintings: - A season - An emotion - A music genre

The teacher will instruct the students to create three preliminary paintings on small construction paper. The teacher may decide to use water color paints or acrylic paints for this activity.

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Each student group will paint three miniature paintings, conveying the designated concept of a season, emotion or music genre. Each student will have three sheets of paper. They will practice different styles of painting. In the end the students will each have three different paintings that reflect their interpretation of the theme the particular group was assigned as inspiration to their artwork.

Presentation

Upon completion of the miniature action painting activity the student groups will compare their paintings and techniques with their peers during a class presentation. They will be able to inform their peers about painting styles and techniques they found to be successful and effective.

Activity 3 – 4 Days Action Painting on Canvas

Note: If Activity 2 was not used, the teacher will incorporate Part A of Activity 2 in the following activity.

Objectives of Activity:  Students individually will create action paintings on canvas  Students will use one of the following themes as inspiration: o A season o An emotion o A music genre  Students will paint onto canvases (size TBD by teacher) o Acknowledge and use a “controlled freedom” in creating artwork o Create “drip” paintings inspired by a key theme

Supplies:  sticks  brushes  house paints cans of latex in colors: white, black, bright blue, crimson, bright yellow  drop cloths  tape  canvases (size TBC by teacher)  sink  paper towels  newspaper  a lot of space

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Presentation

Upon completion of the action painting activity the students will compare their paintings and techniques with their peers during a class presentation. They will be able to inform their peers about painting styles and techniques they found to be successful and effective. They will relate their experience of using designated themes as inspiration for artworks.

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