Shimmering Substance, a painting by Jackson Pollock, is an impressive 24 x 30 cm oil on canvas artwork that marked his departure from any representational themes. The Abstract Expressionist Movement artist used this piece to channel primal forces into radically new artistic expression. In creating Shimmering Substance, Pollock worked outside conventional lines and represented the epitome of everything that made him an appealing and talented artist.
In this work of art, Pollock squeezed the paint directly from the tube onto the canvas and manipulated it with a palette knife. The result was a glorious scene glowing with brilliant light mimicking midday sun rays on a thick meadow. Its solid strokes and vibrant colors are signature elements of Abstract Expressionism art style popular in America at this time.
Shimmering Substance is one of Pollock’s first completely abstract works of art displayed as part of his collection in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This artwork signified his notable contributions to the world of art stemming from detaching lines from color to redefine categories such as drawing and painting as well as finding new means to describe pictorial space. Overall, Shimmering Substance is crucial in understanding not only Jackson Pollock’s ideals but also the era when it was created.
