Of Short Brush Strokes and Chaotic Lines - Essay Example

And the term Impressionism, was in fact, derived from one of his famous paintings in 1872 entitled, Impression, Sunrise (Krauss 87). This particular artwork vividly captured the everyday life scenes and commonplace interactions of humankind against his world. The sketchy application of colors seemed to dissolve into a misty, hazy atmosphere of a typical sunrise and had extraordinarily represented even the most ordinary errand in our everyday lives. Monet’s penchant for beautiful things – nature, people, and landscapes paved way for him to create offbeat and highly-interesting subjects that are influential and dominant in the current time. And as he was getting older, he gained interest in the water reflecting light images such as the Water Lilies art piece (1917) and would often paint the same subject on different seasons of the year, applying different sets of color (Krauss 88).

            Moreover, the world of Impressionism has led to another significant art movement called Abstract Expressionism. Jackson Pollock was considered the most celebrated painter of American abstract expressionism. Many of his works are represented in heavy layers of dark lines and bold colors that evoked figurative shapes, fluidity and, movement. Pollock believed that art should not be limited to representational and figurative objects that can easily be studied in one look. He just let himself fit into his canvas, feeling that he was a big part of a rather bigger and meaningful picture. Instead of painting into the traditional easel, he would spread his canvas onto the floor and then drip or pour enamel paint, covering his canvass with color patterns and bold lines. When he does his work, he fully engaged in, moving around corners and letting the materials work for him. He would not want to control his art nor let his brush touch the surface of the canvas, it’s all form of freedom and expression. “On the floor, I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides, and be in the painting” (qtd. in Bqty-Evans). Abstract art combines forms and the artist’s emotional value. Colors represent emotions and it would mean infinite to describe even one of his paintings, as its colors can stand in itself strong emotions. One of his famous artworks, Number 32, would eventually gather endless meanings and interpretations as abstract art “deprived of all its representational functions… that longer represented anything that could be discerned at first glance. They demanded new ways of seeing [the viewer is] forced to think about himself and the world” (Krauss 108).

            Both Monet and Pollock abandoned the style and techniques that preceded them. From impressionism to abstract expressionism, they created their own set of rules, techniques, and mannerisms representing the world. Monet used short brush strokes and sketch-like techniques, as Pollock painted chaotic, bold lines and spaces with meanings only known to the artist himself.