Blog 2

The second part of Pollock shows us the tranistional phase in his life from the tranquil period to the erratic behavior that defines his art and end part of his life. This transition begins when after Lee to have a baby with him and she refuses he breaks the radio. This is the defining moment in the film when his downward slide begins. It is after this that he begins to paint his famous "drip" paintings and when he really begins to take hold of his innate talent. Lee conveys this message to the viewer when looking at his paintings she says" you've done it Pollock, you've cracked it wide open." It is shortly after this moment that he stops drinking and produces what the character of Clement Greenberg says is going to be one of his best shows ever. It is after this that he is catapulted into immense fame and becomes engrossed with himself and his own accomplishments. Lee also appears to be living through Jackson's fame and talent competly disregarding her own work during this period. When Jackson's family comes to visit they both can talk about nothing else but Jackson Pollock. It is however during this period of intense fame that Jackson begins to become overwhelmed completly and he begins a large downward slide that will continue for the rest of his life. It begins when having a movie made about him, he begins to feel objectived and completly loses control at the filmmaker, beginning to drink again. The film then picks up five years later. It is immeditly apparent that he is a huge alcoholic and is no longer the toast of the art world. He appears to not know how to handle not being the center of everyones attention any more. This ultimeletly leads to his death in a car crash when he was drunk. 

While reading Apollo verus Dinoynious by Nitzche I noticed several similarties between the text and the film Pollock. It describes that there are two sides to everyone that one has to have both in order to be the embodiment of a Greek tradgey or in this instance an artist. The Apollioan side speaks to the idea of plastic art, beauty, humans as artists, creativity, while the Dinonysian side speaks to a darker undercurrent that is hidden behind the half that holds one creativity. This idea that " Even the philosphical man has the presentiment that this reality in which we live and have our being is an illusion that under it lies a hidden second quite different reality." This is embodied in the film Pollock. He has an illusion of himself that he presents to the world, of a man that creates beautiful and moving art that is bursting with creativity and beauty. The reality however, is that he is an alcoholic that is essentially needs to be taken care of like a child. He also has anger issues and an intense derisre to be accpeted and lauded. He is essentially the embodiment of a greek tradgedy, especially becuase he met such a dark and tragic end. 

The film Basquiat begins by letting us into the imaginative and creative world of Jean-Michel Basquiat. It begins by cutting from the opening credits to scenes of a young boy walking down a long hallway with a woman who is obviously his mother. This creates a sense that family is incredibley important in his life story. The boy and woman turn into a gallery and are seen looking at Picasso's Guernica. When the woman see the painting she begins to cry until she turns and looks at her son who is wearing an illumitated crown on his head. This signifys to the viewer that he will eventually become someone important, and becasue they are in an art gallery it further suggests that he will become a king amongst painters. So far the film has not followed the schematic structure of an artists life. We are introduced to him when he is in his twenties and while we see him tagging bulidings and walls with his trademark "samo" tag, we do not see him do anything of consquence so far in the film.