Pollack, Marla & Abstract Expressionism

We just finished a unit in Abstract Expressionism. We studied Marla Olmstead,and Jackson Pollack. Opinions, idea and thoughts were expressed freely. We watched My Kid Could Paint That & both 8th grade classes had much to say. They argued over if Marla really painted all of her paintings, or if her father did, or if it was a collaborative effort. We talked about the value of art and if it even mattered who painted a piece of art if you like it. Many thought it does matter who the artist is, because when you are buying a piece of art, you are also buying a story of the artist. A few thought a painting should only be worth the cost of the paint & supplies. Everyone was amazed that a Jackson Pollack painting sold for 140 million a few years ago. Finally, they wanted to try an abstract painting themselves. While they all had fun splattering & dripping paint, both groups were still in opposition of what constitutes art & value of art. Many wanted to try to sell our paintings for thousands of dollars. It turned out to be an interesting thought provoking unit.