This catalogue brings together a selection of Pollock’s works that help to situate "Blue Poles" in the broader development of the artist’s career. Ranging in date from 1933 to 1952 and covering painting, drawing, and printmaking, the works show the diversity of Pollock’s interests, which included Mexican mural painting, French Surrealism, and Native American art.
The essays look at "Blue Poles" from three different perspectives. The introduction examines the artist’s life and work leading up to 1952, followed by a discussion of "Blue Poles" and its place in Pollock’s oeuvre. Another essay discusses the first exhibition of the painting in new York in 1952 and identifies an important shift that was taking place in the artist’s work. The last essay takes a personal look at the reception of "Blue Poles" in the United States and Australia from 1970s to the present.
