Pollock and Shamanism at the Pinacothèque de Paris

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Untitled – Equine series IV© Adagp, Paris 2008

The unusual perspective adopted for this exhibition offers fresh insight into the artist’s working method, shedding light on the process of shamanic spiritual transformation pursued by Pollock. Based on an idea of Stephen Polcari, author of the seminal work on the movement of “American Abstract Expressionism”, the show aims to explore a new interpretation of Pollock’s work by demonstrating that the artist’s sources of inspiration were rooted in Amerindian shamanism.

Aim of the exhibition

Until now, Pollock’s fascination with Amerindian art and rituals and their influence on his work have never been the subject of serious study. The exhibition has chosen to examine this essential issue. It reveals Pollock’s idea of the unconscious as an illustration of Indian rituals and shamanism. With drawings and important paintings selected from his abstract and semi-abstract works, it displays his images and forms and compares them with the shamanist imagination, offering a hitherto neglected perspective even though this influence has been readily acknowledged.

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