2018
More than just a painter, Jackson Pollock is an American cultural icon. Widely known for his “drip painting” technique, Pollock stood at the forefront of Abstract Expressionism, to the point that his name has become nearly synonymous with the movement. He was deeply respected by his contemporaries, and Pollock’s paintings, prints and other art — as well as his commitment to the work — influenced artists around the world.
With chaotic elegance, lines hypnotically dance and weave across Pollock’s canvases. He believed his art should come from the unconscious and be a representation of one’s truest self. He extended this expectation to other artists, judging them on the authenticity of their expression above their technical expertise, while disdaining work he considered contrived or disingenuous.
The artist was born Paul Jackson Pollock in Cody, Wyoming, in 1912. His family relocated to California before he was a year old. Over the next 16 years, Pollock and his family moved nine times between California and Arizona.
In 1928, they moved to Los Angeles, where he met Frederick John de St. Vrain Schwankovsky, a painter, illustrator and member of the Theosophical Society, a group dedicated to occult and metaphysical spirituality. Schwankovsky was Pollock’s earliest artistic influence, introducing him to European modern art and encouraging him on his spiritual journey.
In 1930, Pollock joined his brother Charles in New York City. He dropped his first name, now going only by Jackson, and enrolled in the Art Students League of New York, studying under American painter Thomas Hart Benton. He left the League in 1933 and found work two years later, employed by the WPA Federal Art Project as an easel painter. This opportunity enabled him to practice his art while also enjoying financial security.
Throughout much of his life, Pollock battled alcohol addiction and struggled with mental illness. In 1937, he began alcoholism treatment and was institutionalized for four months after a breakdown in 1938.
In 1943, the WPA contract ended. Pollock immediately began to work with Peggy Guggenheim at her New York gallery and had his first solo show that year at the storied heiress-turned-art-patron’s space. Two years later, he married the celebrated painter Lee Krasner, an artist who played a pivotal role in Abstract Expressionism, although her exceptional contributions to it were largely overshadowed by those of her male contemporaries, such as Pollock. Krasner provided him with much-needed stability, and together, they moved to South Hampton, Long Island.
Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, Pollock had periodic solo shows, hosted by Guggenheim’s gallery until 1947. From there, Betty Parsons Gallery handled his exhibitions until 1952, when Sidney Janis Gallery took over hosting them for the remainder of Pollock’s life. In 1948, Pollock painted Number 17A, an oil-on-fiberboard work he created using his signature drip technique. It is one of the most expensive paintings in the world.
Pollock died in 1956 in an alcohol-related car accident. Shortly after his death, the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a retrospective in his honor.
Although many critics derided Pollock’s work while he was alive, focusing on his method rather than the vision of his work, others revered his style, his methods and his artistic honesty. Today, collectors consider Jackson Pollock one of history’s artistic greats.
Find original Jackson Pollock abstract prints, drawings and sculptures on 1stDibs.
$1,275
H 27.5 in W 14 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 1000% (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 1000% Bearbrick Figurative Sculpture: A nicely sized (27 inch heigh), highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollo...
Resin, Vinyl
$425
H 11 in W 5 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 400% (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 400% & 100% Bearbrick Vinyl Figure (set of 2): A rare highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollock’s signature a...
Resin, Vinyl
$1,150
H 27.5 in W 14 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 1000% figure (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 1000% Bearbrick Figurative Sculpture: A nicely sized (27 inch heigh), highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollo...
Resin, Vinyl
$425
H 11 in W 5 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 400% figure (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
By Jackson Pollock
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 400% & 100% Bearbrick Vinyl Figure (set of 2): A rare highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollock’s signature a...
Resin, Vinyl
$420Sale Price|20% Off
H 11 in W 5 in
Jackson Pollock Bearbrick 400% Companion (Jackson Pollock BE@RBRICK)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jackson Pollock 400% & 100% Bearbrick Vinyl Figure (set of 2): A rare highly collectible Bearbrick Jackson Pollock statue piece, splattered from head to toe in Pollock’s signature art; includes a recreation of the artist’s signature located on the verso along with a trademarked stamp from the Estate of Pollock-Krasner. New and housed in its original collector’s box. Medium: Vinyl Figurine. Year: 2020. Dimensions of larger figurine: 11 x 5 inches. Condition: New in its original packaging. Published by Medicom from a sold out limited series of unknown. Further Background BE@RBRICKs are a form of collectible toy that resemble a cross between LEGO and well, a bear. These block-style figurines boast teddy bear-style heads that have become an integral pillar of the collectible toy scene. In fact, it wouldn’t be so far-fetched to say that it almost single-handedly carved out the fad of toy collecting in modern times, treading the very fine line between toy and art. Since its inception, BE@RBRICKs have become one of the most recognizable characters in the world, and some of the most sought after. Jackson Pollock was one of the most famous Post-War American artists. A pioneer of Abstract Expressionism, Pollock’s drip paintings ushered in a new era of non-representational art. “It doesn't make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said,” he once remarked. “Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.” Born Paul Jackson Pollock on January 28, 1912 in Cody, WY, he studied painting at the Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles during the late 1920s, where he befriended Philip Guston. In the fall of 1930, Pollock moved to New York where he studied under the Regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League. Joining the WPA in 1937, Pollock painted murals around the country in a style reminiscent both of Benton and the Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco. After the WPA program ended, Pollock took on a number of odd jobs and began producing Surrealist works related to those of Joan Miró. An early champion of his work, Peggy Guggenheim hosted Pollock’s first solo show at her gallery Art of This Century in 1943. The paintings that emerged from his Long Island studio during the late 1940s came to exemplify his entire career. Works such as Blue Poles (1952), generated enormous media attention, and turned Pollock into a celebrity beyond the scope of the art world. At the age of 44, his celebrated career was cut short when the artist died in a car accident involving his mistress Ruth Kligman, on August 11, 1956 in East Hampton, NY. He was survived by his wife the painter Lee Krasner. In 2006, Pollock’s No. 5 (1948) was sold by David Geffen...
Resin, Vinyl
$425
H 11 in W 5 in
Basquiat Bearbrick 400% & 100% art toy (Basquiat Be@rbrick)
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jean-Michel Basquiat Bearbrick Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%) c.2023: A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Th...
Resin, Vinyl
Basquiat Bearbrick 400% and 100% (Basquiat Be@rbrick)
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Basquiat Bearbrick 400% and 100%: Bearbrick and Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%): A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the ...
Resin, Vinyl
Price Upon Request
H 11 in W 5 in
Basquiat Bearbrick 400% & 100% art toy (Basquiat Be@rbrick)
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Jean-Michel Basquiat Bearbrick Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%) c.2023: A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The partne...
Resin, Vinyl
$400
H 11 in W 5 in
Keith Haring Bearbrick 400% companion (Haring Mickey Mouse BE@RBRICK)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring Mickey Mouse Bearbrick: Set of two (400% & 100%): A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Keith Haring. The partnered collectible reveals Keith Haring's Mickey Mouse artwork...
Resin, Vinyl
Be@rbrick x Warhol and Basquiat Estates 400% and 100%
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Bearbrick and Andy Warhol Foundation and Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat Vinyl Figures: Set of two (400% & 100%) A unique, timeless collectible trademarked & licensed by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat & Andy Warhol. The partnered collectible reveals details from Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol's 'New Flame' painting wrapping the figure in its entirety. Housed in a unique Warhol, Basquiat collector's box. Sold out; highly collectible. Medium: Vinyl Figure. Year: 2021. Set of two figurines...
Resin, Vinyl
Monkey Drip
By Banksy
Located in Washington , DC, DC
After Banksy. Special release, only available at the Medicom Toy Exhibition in Tokyo. Produced by Brandalism with Medicom and Sync. Brand new never displayed and comes with the origi...
Resin
Untitled
By Sadamasa Motonaga 1
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Untitled
Ceramic
Gold Griot
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Estate of Jean Michel Basquiat in collaboration with Artestar and Skateroom Please see our other listings
Wood, Screen
Anthony Clarke
By Jean-Michel Basquiat
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Publisher: Estate of Jean Michel Basquiat in collaboration with Artestar and Skateroom Please see our other listings
Wood, Screen
Best Buddies
By Keith Haring
Located in Washington , DC, DC
After Keith Haring. Estate of Keith Haring seal on lower right
Lithograph
Signed limited edition skateboard deck
By Eddie Martinez
Located in Washington , DC, DC
Beautiful limited edition skateboard deck featuring artwork by Eddie Martinez. Hand signed and numbered on top of the deck from a limited edition of 100...
Maple, Screen, Wood
