POP ARTPOP ART

“Pop”:

Robert Indiana, “Love” 1961.

slang for popular.“Pop Culture”:refers to commercially available, trendy, hot things in capitalist culture: the latest fashion, the most popular movies, TV shows, trendy websites, trashy magazines, fast food, movie stars and pop music. “Pop Art”:Fine art that uses the images, colours and visual language of pop culture.

The 1960’s - America is the superpower, rich with industrial production and world influence.

Robert Indiana, “Love” 1961.

The first batch of baby boomers are entering early adulthood with new hope, new dreams and progress.

For the first time in history television is a new influence and cultural power; it is cultural power

with an eye for consumerism. Welcome to the 60’s where youth is hip baby.. yeah baby...

Pop Pop CultureCultureWithWithImpact!Impact!

IS POP ART A IS POP ART A CELEBRATION OF CELEBRATION OF OR A COMMENT ON OR A COMMENT ON POPULAR CULTURE?POPULAR CULTURE?

… … it it was in many ways a reaction to the times

and a revolt against the intellectualism of

Abstract Expressionism.

NO FUN!

IS POP ART A IS POP ART A CELEBRATION OF CELEBRATION OF OR A COMMENT ON OR A COMMENT ON POPULAR CULTURE?POPULAR CULTURE?

Pop art was about youth, fun and most importantly it was about the now! Cold war?! Nuclear war?!! We could all be dead tomorrow so let’s just have fun!

CARS? FUN!

SEX? FUN!

FAST FOOD? FUN!

Robert Rauschenberg

New ways of making artwith new techniques and new philosophies: That was the 1960s

PROTO-POP GUY #1:PROTO-POP GUY #1:ROBERT RAUSCHENBERGROBERT RAUSCHENBERG

Rauschenberg understood that the world he lived in was inundated with images, symbols and consumer goods - all of differing meaning, but all connected.

Rauschenberg created a style that combined mass media images, issues and found objects with action painting, screen printing and installation sculpture.

Rauschenberg, “Monogram”, 1958

Rauschenberg, “First Landing Jump” 1961

Rauschenberg, “Ladder” Rauschenberg, “JFK”

Rauschenberg, “Bed”Rauschenberg, Collage

Rauschenberg’s use of everyday, commercial objects and images from Pop Culture influenced the next generation of artists.

Proto-Pop Guy #2: Jasper Johns

Jasper Johns, “Target with Plaster Casts”, 1958Jasper Johns, “Target with Plaster Casts”, 1958

The work of Rauschenberg and Johns resembled DADAISM so is sometimes called ‘Neo-Dada’.

It also influenced later Pop Art so it’s also sometimes called Proto-Pop.

Jasper Johns, “Three Flags”, collage and encaustic.

Jasper Johns

Three Flags – detail.

Jasper Johns

Jasper Johns, “Map”

Jasper Johns

PAINTING, FILM, SILKSCREEN, SCULPTURE, PAINTING, FILM, SILKSCREEN, SCULPTURE, MAGAZINES, PERFORMANCE ART, VIDEO MAGAZINES, PERFORMANCE ART, VIDEO ART, INSTALLATION ART … HE DID IT ALL!ART, INSTALLATION ART … HE DID IT ALL!

Andy Warhol

Gold Marilyn Soup Cans Heinz Ketchup

The face of Pop Art

Andy Warhol

Warhol only made works of famous people and things.

Iconic figures make iconic art!

Andy Warhol

Warhol only made works of famous people and things. He only made a self portrait when he himself was famous!

Andy Warhol

Marilyn Monroe: the 60’s sex symbol/icon

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was the quintessential 60’s pop artist. He was slick as an advertisement and emotionless as consumerism.

His work commented upon notions of the media icon, the consumer, the product and the times he lived in.

To him, and his “Factory”, Art was made as a consumer product – it was to be mass produced and easily digested!

Andy Warhol

LIKE WARHOL, LICHTENSTEIN PLAYED UPON POPULAR LIKE WARHOL, LICHTENSTEIN PLAYED UPON POPULAR CULTURE AND ITS LOVE FOR THE ICON, CELEBRITY, MASS CULTURE AND ITS LOVE FOR THE ICON, CELEBRITY, MASS APPEAL AND THE COMIC. HE PRODUCED PIECES OF ART IN A APPEAL AND THE COMIC. HE PRODUCED PIECES OF ART IN A MASS-PRODUCED MANNER. MASS-PRODUCED MANNER. THIS QUESTIONED NOTIONS OF THIS QUESTIONED NOTIONS OF HIGH ART VS. LOW ART AND THE VERY NATURE OF WHAT IS HIGH ART VS. LOW ART AND THE VERY NATURE OF WHAT IS ART!ART!

Roy Lichtenstein

LICHTENSTEIN MADE IMAGES OF VIOLENCE AND ROMANCE: LICHTENSTEIN MADE IMAGES OF VIOLENCE AND ROMANCE: TWO KEY COMPONENTS OF POP CULTURE! TWO KEY COMPONENTS OF POP CULTURE!

Roy Lichtenstein

Claes Oldenburg, “Two Cheeseburgers with Everything”, 1962

Claes Oldenburg produced sculptures of everyday objects as a means of commenting the iconic nature of 60’s consumer culture.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg, Soft Drum Kit

Claes Oldenburg’s work is knowingly humourous and often ironic.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg’s work is knowingly humourous and often ironic.

Claes Oldenburg

James Rosenquist

“I Love You With My Ford” 1965

Rosenquist was a professional billboard painter before going into fine art.

”F111”

James Rosenquist

”F111” detail

Monumental Art like monumental consumerism!

The Friction 1961 James Rosenquist

Other Pop Artists followed. They used popular items as found objects in their work – oh so very DADA!

Jim Dine, “Five Feet of Colourful Tools”, 1962

Richard Hamilton, “Just What is it that Makes Today’s Homes so Different so Appealing”.

Jim Dine “Vice” Tom Wesselman, “Smoking Mouth”

More pop,pop, popArt…

Fin.