Helen Frankenthaler’s the Bay

Helen Frankenthaler, The Bay.                                Jackson Pollock, No. 32,[pic 1][pic 2]

1963.  Acrylic on canvas. 6’8” x 6’9”                        1950 Enamel on Canvas, 8’10” x 15’

The image to the left is Helen Frankenthaler’s “The Bay”. It was created in 1963 using acrylic paint on canvas. It measures six feet eight and three quarter inches by six feet nine and a half inches. It is currently at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  The image to the right is Jackson Pollock’s “no. 32”. It was created in 1950 using enamel on canvas.  It is currently at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf, Germany.  I chose the two pieces of art for the fluidity of the blue color in Helen Frankenthaler’s work that caught my eye.  Helen Frankenthaler and Jackson Pollock were both abstract artists that used a technique that did not require the stroke of a brush.  They would let the paint do the work. Jackson Pollock laid his work on the floor and would drip and sweep the paint across the canvas. His art was described as “action painting” because it reflected his motions as he stood and walked over it.  Inspired by Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler worked on the floor as well and poured paint directly over the canvas creating a sense of spontaneity.  

Both artists used the same method of painting yet they are both very different. Jackson Pollocks work used more hard lines to create movement in his painting, while Helen Frankenthaler’s work has soft lines and is more tranquil.  She used color to enlighten the experience.  When I looked at her art the first thing that drew my attention to her work was the blue color of the painting.  Although the title is “The Bay”, I did not see a bay, I saw the silhouette of a woman’s head.  It made me think of my grandmother.  Her work looks so serene and peaceful and took me back to a time with my grandmother.  Jackson Pollock’s work looks more active and busy.  As you gaze into Pollocks work you can see how the lines look like their dancing or moving it also creates a sense of depth.  The drips, sweeps and blots of the paint create a dimension that captivates the eye.  Helens technique had no sense of depth compared to Pollocks, but did create a sense of harmony.