The Met Explores the Codependent Artistry of Krasner and Pollock
A new exhibition re-evaluates Lee Krasner’s pivotal role alongside Jackson Pollock’s iconic career.
1Redefining an Artistic Partnership
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous, challenges the historical narrative that reduced Lee Krasner to a mere supporting figure. Curators David Breslin and Brinda Kumar aim to elevate Krasner’s status, positioning her as a vital, independent Abstract Expressionist whose work shares a profound, codependent evolution with Pollock’s.
2Curatorial Strategy and Layout
The exhibition utilizes a deliberate spatial design to balance the artists' legacies. By separating their works in specific galleries, curators prevent Pollock’s monumental scale from overshadowing Krasner’s more intimate, mosaic-like geometries. This arrangement allows viewers to appreciate the distinct visual languages of both artists without the distraction of their established mythology.
3The 1950s Collage Period
The show opens with a dramatic black-box gallery featuring six vertical abstractions Krasner created in the 1950s. These pieces incorporate cuttings from her own unsold paintings alongside fragments of Pollock’s drawings. This juxtaposition highlights her innovative use of collage and serves as a powerful introduction to her technical and conceptual contributions.
4Market Value Disparities
Despite the exhibition’s efforts to equalize their reputations, a significant market gap persists. Krasner’s auction record stands at 11.7 million dollars for a 1960 canvas. In contrast, Pollock’s works have fetched as much as 181.2 million dollars at Christie’s, reflecting a long-standing disparity in how the art market values their respective contributions.
5Historical Origins of Influence
Krasner and Pollock first met in 1942 during a group show organized by John Graham. Their relationship was deeply intertwined with their creative processes; Krasner’s early influence helped Pollock adopt a Matissean palette. She also played a crucial role in managing his career, including securing their move to Springs to stabilize his life.
6The Impact of Relocation
Moving to Springs in East Hampton provided a period of relative stability that allowed Pollock to produce his breakthrough drip paintings. During this time, Krasner continued her own development, eventually achieving a successful solo show at the Stable Gallery in 1955. Their separate studio spaces in the home fostered distinct yet mutually informed artistic trajectories.
7Symbolic Juxtaposition of Works
The exhibition concludes with a poignant pairing of Pollock’s 1953 work The Deep and Krasner’s 1956 painting Birth. This final juxtaposition captures the essence of their codependency, showing how their artistic visions mirrored and responded to one another during the final, turbulent years of their marriage and Pollock’s life before his death.
8A Necessary Reputational Correction
While the exhibition is unlikely to bridge the massive financial gap between the two artists, it succeeds in providing a necessary reputational reset. By focusing on their shared creative history rather than just the mythology of the lone genius, the Met offers a more nuanced understanding of their individual and collective artistic achievements.