Pop Art Movement
The art movement I have chosen to study is Pop Art, before I decided on the movement of my choice I looked at other movements such as Impressionism and Surrealism. Both of these movements had their own unique qualities however, I found Pop Art very intriguing and wanted to look further into the movement. I have looked into the background and context, the key players and their work, the themes and styles associated with Pop Art as well as the reaction to the movement.
Pop art emerged in both New York and Great Britain around the mid 1950s and became the dominant player in the 1960’s, it has now become the biggest movement in the twentieth century, and it draws themes from popular culture such as television, films, comics and advertising.
By the early fifties artists began to realise that their culture was being highly determined by mass media, new technology and by social change this was an effect of increased Americanization of Europe states T. Osterworld, Pop Art, 2007. The older generation of artist such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth were not kin to reflect the new cultural transformation; it was this that made the Independent group held an informal meeting to discuss the cultural events at the institute of contemporary arts in London states Osterworld, 2007. Members of this institution include Richard Hamilton and Neil Henderson they were said to be the organisational minds of the groups states Osterworld, 2007. Osterworld also stated the topics of the meetings included artistic techniques beyond the traditional forms of representation, action painting, folk culture, the mass media, advertising, the cinema and comics. They discussed these concepts with the intention of “bringing their alternative views to bear on contemporary cultural problems and of formulating a response adequate to the demands of their day” T. Osterworld, Pop Art, 2007 pg 63
Pop Culture and Pop art was being refereed to mass popular culture rather than works of art by 1958-stated Osterworld, 2007. Pop Art was now being employed to describe new works of art produced and had spread to become the central stylistic concept on the scene stated Osterworld, 2007.
The first stage of British Pop Art had focussed on performed media imagery, then the changed in society that brought along the second phrase of Pop Art stated Osterworld 2007. Pop Art was beginning to spread quickly and by the third phase it was making its presence felt for the first time at exhibition ‘young Contemporaries’ in 1960, states T. Osterworld, Pop Art, 2003.
American Pop Art also evolved round the fifties, it had major European influences states Osterworld. The impact of mass media, star cult and the raise of New York and Hollywood was a key impact for Pop Art states Osterworld, 2007. Guided by change in society a younger generation of artist were starting to shine through. Osterworld also argued American Pop Art occurred in four phases; the first was the pre- Pop phases, which saw key artist Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg ‘taking their leave of Abstract expressionism’. Commercial art, design and poster painting saw the emergence of a number of important artists these were Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and many others explained Osterworld. One of the artist transformed objects and human figures into ‘vehicles of generalized statement” stated by Osterworld, 2007. Pop Art become to achieve success and recognition as an art movement, by the mid sixties it got more developed and subject matter expanded however it still fall back on traditional techniques of composition and style states Osterworld. By this stage American Pop Art had spread from New York through to the West Coast, Canada and later to Europe and continuing to Britain even though Pop Art had already made its mark here, states osterworld 2007.
The last phase of American Pop Art was characterized by an acerbic, radical realism that had come from American origin and specialised in urban social relations, radical realism soon become an international movement stated Osterworld 2007.
Andy Warhol, Richard Hamilton and Roy lichinestein were the main key players in Pop Art; Richard Hamilton is one of the main British Pop Artists, he was born In London 1922-stated Osterworld. He opened his first exhibition at the ICA in 1951 called ‘Growth and Form’, states Osterworld, 2007. Hamiltons work portrays highly stylized interiors with human figures; he hides their rear identities behind ‘waxwork’ to match the style of their surroundings states Osterworld, 2007. His abstractions and jumbled perspectives give an impression that ‘things’ in the picture are moving, in his works he plays with light effects with the lighting of interiors and colour rhythms states Osterworld, 2007. He further developed his work by using different technical reproduction methods, the effects of everyday life and peoples viewing habits such as; photography, film and television played a huge impact, states Osterworld, 2007.
One of Hamilton most well known paintings is called ‘My Marilyn (paste up)’; he created this two years after her death states K. Honnef, Pop Art, 2004. The term ‘paste up’ is used by commercial artist to describe the layout ready for production and printing, he arranged the painting into twelve photos on a canvas; ‘their frames identifying them as contact prints from a photo session on the beach’ states Honnef, 2004. Hamilton created other paintings; Interior II (1964), Towards a Definitive statement on the coming Trends in Men’s wear and Accessories (1960) and Trafalgar Square (1965-67).
Andy Warhol is most associate with Pop Art, born in 1930 in Pittsburgh he has created some of the most iconic images for example; Campbell’s Soup Can (1968) and 80 TWO Dollar Bills (Front and Rear) (1962) states Honnef, 2004. Warhol’s working methods is a process of ‘action and reaction’, he purposely leaves borders open between production, product and reproduction states Osterworld, 2007. Warhol created paintings that can be easily recognisable, anything from panic tables to coke bottles – ‘all the great modern things that Abstract Expressionists tried to avoid’, stated Ostworld, 2007. One of Warhol’s most iconic paintings was Campbell’s Soup; it was a mixture of painting, silkscreen and a stamp process as well reflected on social background states Honnef, 2004.
Born in New York 1923, Roy Lichtenstien has created some of the most iconic ‘Pop Art’ images of the century, Lictenstiens painting ‘aim to de-individualize and objectivise emotions and gestures’ states Ostworld. He began to use elements of commercial art and comics in his works, cited from www.getpopart.com/Lichtenstein-Bio.html [cited 13/12/2010]. In 1999 the Roy Lictenitsten foundation was set up. Some of his most famous works include ‘Takka Takka (1962) and M-maybe (1965). Blood red capitals, the machine gun, harsh black and white above the dark green jungle leafs symbolised a state of war in ‘Takka Takka’ states Honnef, 2007. Lictenstien provided an insight into how images played an important role in the war, he used images of guns but never shown a victim he only used heroin text to describe the violent act, stated Honnef, 2004. Lichtenstein followed a series of steps to create his ‘dotted’ images, firstly ‘was to project the original canvas with the aid of a projector, therefore creating a similarity between mechanical production and the world of trivial feelings. He then covered the face with a dot pattern’, states Honnef, 2004.
Pop art faced troubled times by the end of 1960’s, Pop art had not changed the definition of art or its self-importance it did however help revitalise outdated subjects states D. McCarthy, Pop Art, 2000. American critic Harold Rosenberg in 1969 conducted an essay ‘The Art World: Marilyn Mondrian’ to summarise the relationship between Pop Art and its times, he stated “It might be added that the rising curve of aestheticism in the sixties, with its concept of the world from the intensifying politico- social crisis and intellectual confusion in the United States” (Maddoff 1997, p182.) This statement is taken from McCarthy, 2000. There was some truth in Rosenberg statement Pop Art had revealed the tensions of a moment that is was in trouble, the boom of the economy which helped Pop Art raise to success this was than shattered by the anxiety of the Cold War states McCarthy 2000. Pop Art still manage to dominate in today’s society, mass media, popular culture, Neo-pop, the Pop Knick – Knack and fashion industries are all influenced by Pop Art and the Advertising industries are all inspired by Pop Art. “Everything is Pop and Pop is everything” states Osterworld, 2007.
References
K. HONNEF, 2004: Pop Art. Taschen
D McCARTHY, 2000: Movement in Modern art: Pop Art. Tate publishing
T. OSTERWORLD, 2007. Pop Art. Taschen Gmbh.
T. OSTERWORLD, 2007. Pop Art. Taschen Gmbh.
Pop Art: The Art History Archive – Movements [online] [cited 12th December 2010]
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