Reflecting On Lee Krasner's Partnership With Jackson Pollock

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The Metropolitan Museum of Art's recent announcement of its exhibition, Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous, sparked a personal re-evaluation of Lee Krasner's legacy for one painter. The museum shared the news on Instagram, accompanied by a photograph of the artists by Hans Namuth.

This announcement prompted the painter to reflect on her earlier visit to the Pollock-Krasner House in Springs, East Hampton. Prior to that visit, she knew considerably more about Jackson Pollock than Lee Krasner. During the tour, the guide described how Pollock would displace Krasner from her studio when the barn was too cold, forcing her to work by the kitchen stove. The narrative also highlighted Krasner's efforts to navigate gender bias, poverty, and Pollock's alcoholism, all while leveraging her own standing in the art world to promote his work, which in turn supported their modest lifestyle.

After Pollock's death, Krasner waited a year to claim the barn studio. Once she did, she began creating large-scale, expressive works that filled the space. The guide recounted Krasner's insomnia following Pollock's death, which the visitor initially found difficult to reconcile, questioning why Krasner would be so grief-stricken after gaining her own studio and independence.

During a conversation in the gift shop, Matthew Ward, director of the Pollock-Krasner House, recommended Mary Gabriel's 2018 book Ninth Street Women. Ward later discussed the Met's exhibition announcement, expressing excitement and emphasizing the domestic lives of Krasner and Pollock despite their avant-garde art.“A lot of people don't know this, but for two of the most avant-garde artists of their time, they led surprisingly domestic lives,” Ward explained.“They slept in separate beds, and they made appointments to visit each other's studios. The romance was in the passion for their art, in what the other was doing on canvas.”

Ward frequently referred to the artists as“they” and“them,” stressing their partnership. He also pointed out Krasner's pivotal role in managing their affairs:“He was the face of their business, but she managed everything. I'm not sure Jackson would have kept painting if it weren't for Lee.” Ward also suggested that Krasner, known for destroying and reassembling her older paintings, might have similarly revised her memories of Pollock, whom she outlived by nearly three decades.

Source: Hyperallergic

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