Mural
Artist	Jackson Pollock
Year	1943
Location	University of Iowa Museum of Art
Dimensions	96 x 240 in 247 x 605 cm

Mural is an abstract painting by the iconic painter Jackson Pollock. Completed in 1943, the painting is a journey into the world of expressionist art. The myriad of images draw the viewers’ eyes in multiple directions as the painting seems to take on a life of its own. Described as a stampede, Mural is considered to be one of the most contemporary pieces of art of our time.

Style and Technique

Thought to be Pollock’s first piece of work of this scale, Mural is painted on stretched out canvas using his famous drip technique. The combination of traditional Native American Art and Pollock’s own style created many of the unique images that we see today. Different textures of paint, sand and sometimes glass were used to drip or throw the paint onto the canvas to create abstract pieces of art.

Mural uses repetitive, yet sporadic images as a focal point. Shots of yellow stand out of the painting, as shades of red and lines of black converge in a seemingly unusual fashion. The images almost appear to be faces or bodies or both. Jackson Pollock used his skill to draw the viewer into his world and produce a vision where curves and angles create life-like images.

The 8 feet by 20 feet painting is considered to be one of the most recognizable pieces of art of all time. Mural is a near perfect example of abstract expressionist paintings at its finest and is sure to remain a historical masterpiece.