Pop Art

Born in the 1950’s, the pop world has a culture all its own. Over the last fifty years it has evolved, developing its own brand of music, clothing, and even art. It is usually defined by the mass media and popular trends, and so is constantly shifting. In a more distinct term, pop culture also refers to the original movement which started in Britain and shifted over to the United States.

Pop art gets its inspiration from local media and advertising, using as its stimulation objects and figures that are easily recognizable and are well-known. It diverts from the mainstream expressionism art, forming its own style and defining its own unique interpretation on life and other matters. An early example is British painter Richard Hamilton, whose 1956 piece “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing,” was produced for London’s Independent Group, and is today regarded as a prototype showing the infant beginnings of pop art and culture.

The style of art is depicted as bold and vivid, brashly challenging the traditional views and impressions and forming its own genre of imagination in a manner that is abruptly intrepid and flashy with an ironic sense of humor. It exhibits parody and satire as it uses widely known icons and other media content found on billboards, comics, and product labeling. Andy Warhol uses this method in one of his best-known works, “Cambell’s Tomato Juice Box,” produced in 1964, when he uses the iconic Cambell’s Soup label as the basis for his work. “Drowning Girl” was created in 1963 by Roy Lichtenstein, an American painter who was heavily influenced in his artwork by comic books and popular advertising.

In addition to popular advertising and iconic symbols, pop art also used prominent public figures in its depictions. Both celebrities and civic leaders were illustrated in several of Andy Warhol’s paintings, such as his “Golden Marilyn Monroe” portrait of the famed actress, as well as his portrayal of Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. The canvases used vary and include canvas, wood, or even metal mediums. Silkscreen acrylics, oils, and watercolors figure in providing the bright colors found in these artworks.

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Andy Warhol Pop Art | Roy Lichenstein Pop Art | Modern Art