Jackson Pollock (1912–1956) was a pivotal American artist, renowned for his role in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Born in Cody, Wyoming, he studied art in New York, where he developed his groundbreaking "drip" technique in the late 1940s. By pouring and splattering paint onto large canvases laid on the floor, Pollock created dynamic, all-over compositions like Number 1A, 1948, characterized by rhythmic, chaotic patterns. His work emphasized spontaneity, physicality, and emotional intensity, challenging traditional notions of painting. Influenced by Native American art, surrealism, and Jungian psychology, Pollock’s process was as much performance as creation, earning him the nickname "Jack the Dripper." His art gained international acclaim, redefining American painting’s global impact. Struggling with alcoholism, Pollock died in a car crash at 44. His legacy endures, with works housed in major museums, symbolizing raw creativity and modernist innovation.
