The Deep

The 1950s saw considerable changes in both Pollock’s work and personal life. He began avoiding color in 1951, and started painting exclusively in black, though with alcoholism taking over his life, his productivity steadily declined. The Deep evokes a chasm – an abyss either to be avoided or to get lost inside. White paint was built up with layered brush strokes, showing a return of Pollock’s direct involvement with the canvas. Drips are still evident, now creating a web that floats above the chasm. Pollock was clearly looking for a new approach, an image to create, desperate to break away from his signature style, yet his last paintings represent neither a new beginning nor a conclusion.