Authenticity issues
What proves the authenticity of a Pollock painting?
Jackson Pollock
In 2003, twenty-four Pollock-esque paintings and drawings were found in a locker in Wainscott, New York. An inconclusive debate continues about whether or not these works are Pollock originals. Physicists have argued over whether fractals can be used to authenticate the paintings. This would require an analysis of geometric consistency of the paint splatters in Pollock's work at a microscopic level, and would be measured against the finding that patterns in Pollock's paintings increased in complexity with time. Analysis of the synthetic pigments shows that some were not patented until the 1980s, and therefore that it is highly improbable that Pollock could have used such paints. In 2006 a documentary, "Who the *$&% Is Jackson Pollock?" was made concerning Teri Horton, a truck driver who in 1992 bought an abstract painting for five dollars at a thrift store in California. This work may be a lost Pollock painting but its authenticity is debated.