The Met’s Krasner and Pollock Show Is a Breathtaking Upending
If you’re looking for bias or reparations, these volatile contents are all on the surface, quietly and neatly presented.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest exhibition, Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous, is a stunning display of art that challenges visitors to contemplate the complex relationships between artists and their partners. The show is carefully curated and masterfully presented, making it one of the museum's finest exhibitions to date.
However, the primary attraction of the exhibition is not its intricate design or the artistic merit of the displayed works. Instead, it is the opportunity to observe another marriage – that of renowned painter Lee Krasner and her husband, the infamous Jackson Pollock.
As one enters the mostly dimly lit galleries tucked away on the museum's second floor, visitors are immediately drawn to the intricate and diverse paintings created by Krasner. The exhibition provides insight into her life and how she managed to create such remarkable works despite being married to one of America's most celebrated artists. This includes the tragedy of her surviving a car crash in which Pollock died while driving under the influence.
The exhibition's inclusion of photos and collaged film of Krasner and Pollock's Long Island cottage serves as a reminder of their personal lives, and some visitors may be shocked to learn that one attendee openly expressed misogyny in the presence of Krasner's image. This demonstrates that even in the face of art, certain prejudices still linger.
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