Concept
Fractal expressionism is used to distinguish fractal art generated directly by artists from fractal art generated using mathematics and/or computers. Fractals are patterns that repeat at increasingly fine scales and are prevalent in natural scenery (examples include clouds, rivers, and mountains). Fractal expressionism implies a direct expression of nature's patterns in an art work. The initial studies of fractal expressionism focused on the poured paintings by Jackson Pollock (1912-1956), whose work has traditionally been associated with the abstract expressionist movement. Pollock's patterns had previously been referred to as “natural” and “organic”, inviting speculation by John Briggs in 1992 that Pollock's work featured fractals. In 1997, Taylor built a pendulum device called the Pollockizer which painted fractal patterns bearing a similarity to Pollock's work. Computer analysis of Pollock's work published by Taylor et al. in a 1999 Nature article found that Pollock's painted patterns have characteristics that match those displayed by nature's fractals. This analysis supported clues that Pollock's patterns are fractal and reflect "the fingerprint of nature". Taylor noted several similarities between Pollock's painting style and the processes used by nature to construct its landscapes. For instance, he cites Pollock's propensity to revisit paintings that he had not adjusted in several weeks as being comparable to cyclic processes in nature, such as the seasons or the tides. Furthermore, Taylor observed several visual similarities between the patterns produced by nature and those produced by Pollock as he painted. He points out that Pollock abandoned the use of a traditional frame for his paintings, preferring instead to roll out his canvas on the floor; this, Taylor asserts, is more compatible with how nature works than traditional painting techniques because the patterns in nature's scenery are not artificially bounded.