Jackson Pollock, Number 26 A, Black and White, 1948

Jackson Pollock’s 1948 painting Number 26A, Black and White is a powerful example of his pioneering drip painting technique, a method that redefined the boundaries of modern art and positioned him at the forefront of Abstract Expressionism. Created during one of the most prolific periods of his career, this work exemplifies Pollock’s desire to liberate painting from traditional form, narrative, and structure, allowing pure gesture and rhythm to guide the composition.

As the title suggests, the artwork is executed in a monochromatic palette, relying solely on black paint applied to an unprimed surface, often canvas or paper. Stripped of color, the work emphasizes line, texture, movement, and spatial tension. The result is a dense, all-over composition that evokes a sense of visual complexity and psychological depth. The web-like lines and splatters seem spontaneous, yet they form a dynamic interplay of energy and balance, reflecting Pollock’s control within chaos.

This painting belongs to Pollock’s significant Black and White series, in which he explored calligraphic, totemic, and symbolic forms through linear abstraction. The flowing lines can be interpreted as primordial symbols, subconscious imagery, or pure motion, echoing the influence of Surrealist automatism and Jungian archetypes. Some viewers find anthropomorphic or animal-like shapes embedded in the tangled forms, though Pollock himself resisted specific interpretations, preferring the experience of the artwork to be intuitive and emotional.

Pollock created these works by placing the canvas on the floor, allowing him to move around and physically engage with the surface, a technique he described as being “in” the painting rather than outside it.

Number 26A, Black and White stands as a bold statement of artistic freedom, showcasing Pollock’s mastery of gesture, spontaneity, and raw visual language, and remains a compelling symbol of postwar American abstraction.