Aesthetic Influences

Cubism:

Cubism is an art movement that developed in the early 20th century. The movements founders, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques, were inspired by the work of Neo-Impressionist Paul Cezanne. Cezanne experimented with creating still-lives with multiple perspectives, and this inspired the cubists to do the same in their paintings. Their primary method was by decomposing ordinary objects into simple geometric shapes.

Cubism split into two main branches: analytic and synthetic. When it comes to collages, synthetic cubism is more important — these cubists were the ones who developed the idea of the collage by superimposing objects such as newspapers onto the canvas. Guillaume Apollinaire, a Cubist who is frequently mentioned in The Sonnets, coined the term "collage."

Shown on the right is a painting by Pablo Picasso, a cubist who is frequently mentioned in I Remember. Through the manipulation of color and geometric shape, Picasso is able to create two vastly different perspectives for the woman based on her two eyes: a naive and monotone version on the right juxtaposed with a serious and all knowing version on the left.

Brainard alludes to this duality when he states, "I remember that Picasso was born in 1881, to a mother of two heads". This factual recollection not only references the painting above, but also is in great contrast to the rest of the work, which is composed mostly of memories relating to feeling, emotion, and desire. Thus, much like this cubist painting, I Remember also reveals two distinct views of Brainard: A scholarly thinker against a passionate feeler.

Abstract expressionism:

Abstract expressionism is the movement that most closely resembles the art of the New York School. Famous members such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning were based in New York City. Willem and Elaine de Kooning would frequently interact with the "elder statesmen" of the New York School.

The abstract expressionists sought to use art as a means of tapping into their inner psyche. Later artists turned towards older traditions — totems and ancient deities — as inspiration for their works. This spiritualism can be seen in the works of Mark Rothko, which are made of blocks of color.

Shown on the right is a painting by Jackson Pollock. Pollock exemplified the style of action painting, and he specifically created his paintings by letting paint drip onto the canvas. In "The Sonnets," Berrigan described Pollock's technique as a "Harum-scarum haze," emphasizing the painting's frenetic qualities (18). The New York School would borrow Pollock's emphasis on the process of creating art.