The Passion (Number 5)

Colours and inspiration

The Passion (Number 5) is a large sized abstract, drip style painting created with yellow and silver paints. These dramatic twists and turns sit atop an ochre base layer. Added to this are hints of red and dark blue.

The inspiration (and theme) behind the painting is a very famous work by Jackson Pollock called Number 5 (hence the reference to it in the title). This is in private hands but has recently beet the subject of an enquiry from a client as he is looking to get a replica made of this iconic painting.

As I am unable to go and see it I have to rely on photos I can find online. Therefore, to fully immerse myself in its construction I need to practice – a lot. I have already begun with some small test pieces to test colour density, paint tones and layering techniques and this is this is the first full sized canvas that I have been happy with.

Reimagining an idea

I am not yet at the stage of painting for the client as I still need to get deeper into the painting but I thought this to be such a cool painting that it deserves to stand on its own merit.

When put into comparison to Pollock’s Number 5 it’s more vivid and way more dramatic. It very much echoes the style and feeling of the original but brings it right up to date. The materials are the same Pollock would have used but the original has now been reimagined into a painting that carves out its own space in the world.

Living with it

The enamel paints are very dense and the ability for them to ebb and flow means I can interpret movements in ways that Pollock may not have been able to do thanks to the advancement of these kinds of paints. The highlight for me is the silver. It moves across the canvas in an unrelenting manner and is so thick and dense it reminds me of a glacier.

I do think that this is a painting that will give you all the drama of owning a Pollock-esque artwork, in faithful materials, without the price tag or the shoutiness that comes with it. For all the pizazz of that yellow this remains a remarkably understated painting that never feels unwelcomed or overpowering.