Today, just for fun and because I’m sick of struggling with Bendaroos, I asked Elizabeth and Megan to analyze Jackson Pollock’s 1948 painting Number 1 (left).
“What does this picture look like to you?” I hold out my Art Appreciation book and both girls crowd in to take a look.
Elizabeth replies, in true Elizabeth fashion, “Garbage.”
Megan chimes in with, “A tree.” Wow. I get that.
“Sticks? It’s sticks!” Elizabeth is hunched over the book, staring intently at the brown and red and white and tan and black scribbled, dribbled mess.
“What do you feel like when you look at this picture? Happy or sad?”
“Happy.” Elizabeth.
“Sad.” Megan.
“Why happy?”
“I don’t know,” Elizabeth says and shrugs. “I just like it.”
“Why sad?”
“Because,” Megan says, finding it silly to state the obvious. “Garbage doesn’t make anyone happy.”
So. In spite of all our best efforts to weave symbolism into our work and include levels of complexity that will stir emotions, we run the risk of people liking our creation “just because.” And some will just think it’s garbage. Sort of takes the pressure off.
“Garbage makes Oscar happy!” Elizabeth can hardly finish her sentence, she’s giggling so much. They bust up and forget all about Jackson Pollock.
That’s the trouble with trying to have an art discussion with preschoolers. They always bring everything back to Sesame Street.
- Tiff
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