Chance versus choice in the paintings of Pollack, the music of John Cage, and the choreography of Merce Cunningham are artist who rise above other artists and can make art about what one wants it to be. Action painters and Abstract Expressionists felt restricted by the various styles of the preceding painters and expressionist. They wanted to break away from the traditional and produce new ways to create art. They were all determined to chase their own individuality. To the Abstract Expressionist, the notion of chance beginning an artist’s canvas was foreign. However, Jackson Pollock, John Cage and Merce Cunningham all independently and separately hunted their own expression and that made them legends. Jackson Pollock, an American …show more content…
Cage is well known for his Chance music based on chance and randomness. He tried to have balance between freedom and control, meaninglessness and purposeful action. John Cage insisted that “Everything we do is music.” (The Humanistic Traditions, Sixth Edition p94) Cage originated to use his ideas from Zen mediation in the piece of his music. He began to engage chance operations to try to eliminate his own emotional state and state of mind. He also started to blend silence into his work to present the sense of stillness in his work. Cage generated music in which even he did not know what the result would be. Another component in Cage’s music was linked to philosophical thoughts was his use of chance operations to decide which notes would be played, and how they would be played. Cage’s music was to convey to expose listeners’ ears to fresh ways of listening not only conventional music, but all of the noises of natural life. He began unravelling the music to stimulate both a freedom and control taking the listener outside the box leading to novel musical idea associated with creativity by chance. Cages’ work transfigured the arts and were not intended to mix emotion but to