Which movement is exemplified by Jackson Pollock as a practitioner?

• A. Abstract art
• B. Abstract Expressionism
• C. Baroque
• D. Surrealism

Answer: (B)

Pollock's drip paintings epitomize Abstract Expressionism, a movement that centers on expressing emotion through spontaneous, gestural painting on a large scale. This approach, often called action painting, treats the act of painting—the artist’s movement, rhythm, and physical engagement with the canvas—as essential to the work itself. Surrealism emphasizes dream imagery and the unconscious in representational or symbolic forms, which isn’t what Pollock’s non-representational, physically dynamic works focus on. Baroque is an earlier, ornate European style grounded in dramatic narrative and detail, not aligned with Pollock’s abstract, non-figurative approach. Abstract art is a broader label, but Abstract Expressionism is the most precise fit because it foregrounds spontaneity, gesture, and the painting as a performance of the artist’s inner experience.