Jackson Pollock, Mural, 1943

I am so glad I made sure to see the just-visiting Jackson Pollock painting at the Getty before it leaves this weekend—I did procrastinate a little. The painting, Mural (1943) has been at the Getty for an extended facelift. It’s now beautifully restored and has been on display in all its glory from early March, ending this Sunday, June 1. And that’s why I’m writing at this time and need to tell you:

GO SEE THE JACKSON POLLOCK AT THE GETTY… RIGHT NOW!

If you don’t, you will miss it. I mean, do you think you’ll be passing through Iowa City any time soon? I actually had a legitimate reason to visit, and still didn’t go. (My husband stayed near Iowa City for six weeks for a book project).

Mural permanently resides at the University of Iowa Museum of Art. It is one of Pollock’s most famous paintings; Peggy Guggenheim commissioned it and hung it in the foyer of her Manhattan apartment (yes, the same place where Pollock pissed in the fireplace).

But nevermind that.
 

Detail, left side

When I look at a Pollock, I am pretty much in awe. To tell you the truth, in the proper circumstances, I can damn near have a religious experience with a Pollock painting. So I should tell you upfront, I’m a little partial.

The thing about a Pollock is you can feel him when you look at his paintings. But there are ones that stand out, and Mural is one of those. Could it be the size?—it is the largest painting of Pollock’s (nearly 8 x 20 feet)—but it’s not just that. There’s no denying its formidableness, but to me, that’s merely a coincidence. It is truly magnificent, but that’s not the reason for its sublimeness.

Detail, middle section

When you see it for the first time, as I did today, it is breathtaking. Just gorgeous. This is painting. Everything perfectly placed. Every swirl strategically slathered. Every brushstroke brilliantly stroked.

The myth is Pollock painted Mural in one night. There are many accounts that refute this, but just as many that do not. As a former serious painter, in my opinion, it’s the latter.

Detail, right side

It doesn’t stop, it doesn’t start—it just goes. Frenzied energy that go go goes. Black long smears tear through reds, yellows and blues. It laughs, it cries, it sneers at you. It stands boldly and confronts you. It demands your attention.

Mural reminds us what a painting can do and why we care that there is art in the world. Jackson Pollock was a masterful painter, a pioneer of his era. When you see this masterpiece, the painting that nearly falls off the easel (it is most likely one of his last paintings to be painted vertically), you just might nearly fall to your knees.

The Getty Center

1200 Getty Center Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90049

www.getty.edu