Untitled c. 1951

Editor: We’re looking at Jackson Pollock’s Untitled drawing from around 1951, ink on paper. The smattering of marks, the way they're applied – it almost feels accidental. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What arrests me first is the deployment of figure and ground. The creamy paper provides a subtle yet assertive ground, upon which Pollock establishes a calculated dispersion of ink blots. Notice the dynamic interplay between the varying densities of the black and blue ink; this contrast produces an intricate push and pull, activating the surface. How do you perceive the formal organization of these elements? Editor: I guess I was so caught up in the perceived randomness that I missed the…calculation. I do see now that there is organization. I'm trying to put into words what sort... Do you think there's a structural element here? Like, is Pollock attempting to create any shapes, even unintentional ones? Curator: Perhaps. Focus, if you will, on the relationship between each mark; observe the varying scales, densities and distributions across the space. Does the eye begin to coalesce these various incidents? The blue groupings especially… are those areas anchors for the gaze? The interaction creates what we can describe as 'structure.' These structural elements, viewed collectively, are greater than the mere sum of their parts. Editor: I see it now. It's a relationship built from simple forms and complex distribution, an unexpected composition. Curator: Precisely. Abstraction invites closer visual inspection and ultimately activates new critical frameworks. A valuable experience, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely! I will not forget this exercise in seeing, thank you!