ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS) -- I was sitting with composer Warner Hutchison recently when he said, “New Mexico State University will be performing my ‘Homage to Jackson Pollock’ [written in 1973] composition sometime this year.”

Jackson Pollock painting.

I thought, How marvelous. Then it dawned on me: Jackson Pollock would have turned 100 years old on January 28. Not only is New Mexico State University honoring one of the state’s finest composers, Warner Hutchison; they are honoring the centennial birth of Pollock.

Pollock’s myth looms large in the world of art and culture. Born January 28, 1912, Pollock is best remembered as the guy who splattered and dripped a bunch of paint on a canvas and called it art. Some cringe at the thought of calling him a great artist. Time Magazine mockingly deemed him “Jack the Dripper” in an article written in February 1956.

Yet the reality of his influence goes much deeper—pointing to the fact that he was an important cultural icon and fine artist.

Pollock was one of the notable painters in the field called abstract expressionism. Along with artists such as Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), Mark Rothko (1903-1980), Williem de Kooning (1904-1997), Clyfford Still (1904-1980), and Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), he was at the forefront of a new movement of art that focused on emotionalism, non-representational form, and a somewhat nihilistic (dark and melancholy) philosophy.

Pollock was born in Wyoming, but grew up in both Arizona and California. It was in the Southwestern portion of the United States that Pollock came into contact with Native American abstract forms of art that later influenced his artistic philosophy.

Concerning the influence of Native American art, Pollock stated in the work My Painting, “I feel nearer, more a part of the painting, since this way I can walk round it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting. This is akin to the methods of the Indian sand painters of the West.”

Pollock moved to New York and studied art with famed regionalist, Kansas City, Missouri-based artist, Thomas Hart Benton.

Pollock developed his own style of art, saying, “...Look passively and try to receive what the painting has to offer and not bring a subject matter or preconceived idea of what they are to be looking for.” In short, Pollock was moving away from figurative forms (realism) toward “pure painting”—non-representational forms (abstract).

Sadly, Pollock struggled with alcoholism his whole life, and died from an alcohol-related car accident in 1956. He was 44.

From a religious (Christian) standpoint, Pollock is important for several reasons:

First, all creative activity points back to the original artist, God. The very fact that Pollock was creating something gives credence to the process of creation itself. Inherent in all creative acts is the proposition that there is a greater creation and, hence, a Creator. Biblically, God created the world and infused humanity with the will and knowledge of creative acts. Taken in a generalist way, creativity can be seen as a form of praise.

Painting, Autumn Rhythm. Oil on Canvas. 1950.

Second, Pollock broke new ground in art, attempting to seek a deeper meaning to the creative process—a spiritual nature, if you will. Theologian James McClendon stated that the abstract expressionists “sought to express the primordial depths human nature.” McClendon concluded that abstract expressionism can be likened to “the ‘negative theology’ of the mystics.’”

Third, though Pollock lived a reclusive and alcoholic-infused life, one cannot help but think the Presbyterian faith he was reared in did have an influence on him. Maybe the influence came through the existential thought of Christian philosopher Sören Kierkegaard and his discussion of the “crises of the human condition,” whereby the individual person is responsible for finding meaning and purpose. For Kierkegaard, meaning and purpose are ultimately found in Christ. To my knowledge, there is no record of Pollock coming to the same conclusion. Yet one can wonder.

Jackson Pollock painting with onlooker

Finally, Pollock is important from a cultural perspective. His work defines modern art: The highest amount paid for one of his paintings topped off at 156.8 million for the work, “No. 5, 1948”—even beating Picasso. Though there has been much criticism of his work, one cannot deny its impact upon our society and the understanding we have of what constitutes art. Movies (Academy Award winning film Pollock, directed by Ed Harris), documentaries, book, and yes, exhibits, dot our cultural landscape—all pointing to the fact that Pollock made his mark on our cultural map.

So as I sat with composer Warner Hutchison discussing his musical work dedicated to Jackson Pollock, I thought to myself, Quite appropriate; one artist of importance tipping his hat to another.

Maybe it’s time our culture takes a moment to tip its hats to the birth of an American icon. But let us not forget to bow our knees to the One who has inspired creativity from the first artistic act—forming, designing, and creating all that is.

Brian Nixon is a writer, musician, minister, and family man. You may contact him at www.briannixon.com