Jackson Pollock reimagined with the trippy "Dripped"

An animated short exposes one of the 20th century's greatest artists as a cat burglar and art-eater

Published June 3, 2011 5:50PM (EDT)

 Ed Harris did a great job playing the alcoholic, abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock in the 2000 film about the artist's life and work. (Fun fact: Remember how the actor directed that film as well? Ed Harris is the man.) The struggle between his vulnerable neurosis and volatile personality -- especially in the context of his relationship with his wife, Lee Krasner, over the years -- was portrayed with less restraint than we've come to expect from stone-faced Harris, and overall made for a great film about a difficult subject.

That being said: At no point in "Pollock" did the artist grow wings after eating famous Renaissance paintings he stole from a museum before regurgitating his own still lifes into speckled visual jazz riffs. Léo Verrier's animated eight-minute short "Dripped" is a whimsical interpretation of Jackson's love of all art, and his eventual realization that he doesn't have to "bite" off other talent in order to create his own masterpieces.

OK, so it's not quite a literal biography, but it's stylistically entrancing nonetheless; like something from an early Chuck Jones cartoon on acid.

 

Dripped from ChezEddy on Vimeo.


By Drew Grant

Drew Grant is a staff writer for Salon. Follow her on Twitter at @videodrew.

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