The artwork Magic Lantern was created by American artist Jackson Pollock in 1949 and currently is hung on a wall in the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. In order to create his piece, the Pollock used oil paint, aluminum paint, enamel, and even carpet tacks, and ended up with a truly texturally intricate result. It stands at 108. 9 x 55. 2 cm, or 42 7/8 x 21 3/4 inches for those less metrically-inclined. Magic Lantern is a fascinating abstract painting, but in comparison to many other abstract paintings, this work of art focusses less on representational matters.
Instead, it works to be a personally interpretable work when the overall nature and the particulars of it is taken into account, whether through its use of artistic elements or principles of design. The size of the work, while still being semi-considerable, does not take on any intimidating qualities and it isn’t a piece that awes the viewer. The viewer is free to look closely at whatever parts of Magic Lantern and this piece almost requires more intimate observation in order to truly receive all it has to offer.
All the details present make sure that the viewer is encouraged to take a nice long moment to watch how the materials interact. Just looking at the painting from afar does not fully let the viewer understand the piece, but Magic Lantern seems to invite people to inspect more of its canvas in nearer proximity. It can be difficult going for viewers who want to understand the work, but the painting seems to invite people to try their best to do so. Jackson Pollock seems to take great care so that viewers of his work are free to impress their own ideas on Magic Lantern.
Choice of colors can tell a lot about an artwork, and Magic Lantern’s colors seems to lend a kind of mixed impression. The limited color palette keeps the piece from being a complete mess and while the colors are mostly solid, there is minor mixing where wet paints may have collided and spread into one another. While the drizzles of red, orange, yellow, and minor bits of teal blue help create a warm image, these colors sit in the background and the white, pale grey, and black lines cross over and settle on the top of the more vibrant colors.
This layering order does a lot to give the piece a more neutral image, which helps it keep it a blanker slate for the viewer to impress their own ideas on. In comparison to many other paintings, the Magic Lantern was laid on the ground and drenched and drizzled over. This creates a sense of immediacy as the paint flows liberally and directly from Jackson Pollock’s chosen tools to the canvas on the floor. The quick flowing nature of the paints is readily visible as a viewer can literally see when Polluck made quick rushing movements and slow precise curves.
The trails of paint tell you plainly and it is possible to read the story of the artwork’s making just by observing them. Circular and separate splatters shows how fast the artist must have made those strokes of movement, the paint must have had no time to gracefully trail out any gestures. In other areas it is clear that Polluck must have taken his time; when the paint drips in an unbroken line, it becomes apparent that the even pacing constitutes a conscientious caution.
The motion of the piece is constantly moving, every line leads the viewer’s eyes down and across, curving this way and that way, and the line continues to do so until the viewer’s attention is caught by another part of the painting. The differently colored lines offer a dynamic aspect of the piece so that the viewer’s interest is contained, but it is clear that there’s a back and forth going on. The viewer’s eye will wander all over the artwork just by following the motion of Pollock’s lines.
Line weight varies and shows itself off, but the differences serve to balance one another so that no lin becomes the focus point. This helps keep the entire piece delicately perched on the precipice of a plain pattern and an abstract work that clearly is representing something from the artist. One of the most remarkable things about the piece is how every line is so thoughtfully made and surprisingly meticulous. The weight of the lines vary as the splatter of the paint hits more heavily in some areas and lighter in others.
These differences in line quality create a constant rhythmic quality about the artwork. Though the black lines is likely the most noticeable aspect of Magic Lantern, they keep harmony in the work and surprisingly blend into the whole of the painting. However, the artistic element that is most prominent and noteworthy is Jackson Pollock’s skilled handling on textural patterns. Not only does the oil and aluminum paints layer on top but in certain areas of the canvas, he added carpet tacks in order to get further dimensions and add additional texture to his piece.
The surface of Magic Lantern isn’t smooth; it is a rough and bumpy ride for the viewer, and some of this very real texture can be seen just with the patterns and dripping paint in the front of the painting. This work gives a lot of objects to focus one’s attention to. The texture may have a few well-placed bumps in one corner and then rolling gnarls in another, and this helps the overall work find its equilibrium. Perhaps the name of the piece is intended for some greater meaning but it may just be a hastily tacked on label.
But it seems somehow appropriate that an artwork Magic Lantern, might be inviting everybody to shine a light on their own interpretation of the painting. Certainly, there are likely many people who insist on a specific definition of the work, but just by judging from the motion and rhythmic patterning and other artistic elements and design principles, the painting does not clearly spotlight any definite area. Magic Lantern ends up with no particular focus area, which is really interesting. In the end, this kind of painting is less purposely representational and more of a pure experience.
