Pop Art and modern popular culture - Research Paper Example

Pop art Introduction According to the Oxford dictionaries, pop art is art based on mass media and the modern popular culture. The definition goes further to explain pop culture as critical or ironical comment towards traditional art (Oxford Dictionaries 1). The discovery of the camera during the American Civil War was thought to be the end of painting and art. In fact, some people at the time claimed that the introduction of camera was the death of painting. This could be reason art was struggling in the late 19th century and early 20th century (Osterwold 6). Pop art introduced in the 1950s is credited for saving art and painting (Osterwold 6). During the time, many people disregarded art in preference to the new technology of camera and photography. The influence of pop art grew and many people including advertisers and manufacturers appreciated it. Short History of Pop Art Although the pop art was introduced in the 1950s, it is credited to Gustave Courbet's who created Bonjour, Mr. Courbet in 1855 from an inexpensive print paper of the time Imagerie d’Epinal (Desmond 11). Pop art experts also confirm Picasso used the same strategy when he created a woman from Bon Marche Au Bon Marche in 1914 (Desmond 11). Marcel Duchamp continued the Picasso ideology of pop art in what is known as the Dada movement (Desmond 11). Just like the other pop artists, it was not influential. However, these arts planted the seed that grew to pop art decades later. The early pop art was inspired by these arts in the early 1950s for example Robert Rauschenberg's Bed in1955 and Jasper Johns Beer Cans in1960 (Desmond 11). Major Influencers The new pop art broke taboos which were experienced in the traditional western culture. It is no wonder pop art criticized the traditional art. In that case, the young people were the ones mostly involved with pop art as a new identity, different from the relatively old people. Pop art became popular with the young musicians who had the artistic of the time create covers for their music (Osterwold 8). Robert Rauschenberg's is quoted stating he had never seen a beautiful art as the Marcel Duchamp’s urinal art which the painter named the retina art. The idea was to capture the attention of the people in the Armory Show in New York in 1917 (Honef, 8). The art captured the attention of many including Robert Rauschenberg who vowed to continue with pop art. Rauschenberg worked very hard with pop art especially in the 1950s contributing to its popularity. Other artists credited for pop art in the 1950s are Andy Warhol, and Jim Dine (Honef, 8). These artists used different styles some using modern styles of the time and others using traditional art styles especially Rauschenberg and Dine who incorporated prints and collage into their styles. Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Jim Dine focused a lot on the pop art in the early 1950s and turned the tables round this time (Desmond 12). Many people appreciated the pop art as stated above. The number of pop art artifacts grew from just 10,000 to more than 4 million in a span of one decade (Desmond 12). These artists worked in the neo-dada times and seemed to know just how to make pop art work. A few years later, other pop artists who focused on modern methods for example camera photographs came up and are known as photorealist. The main objective of this art is to capture realist imagery using art. These artists used two different photographs one with limited depth of field and another with good field depth and combined them to make one painting (Desmond 13). Characteristics of Pop Art Art was not appreciated by the society and many artists were concerned that the comments that art was ending could hold grounds soon or later. However, Pop art which became popular in the 1950s and the 1960s changed all that (Osterwold 6). Many people appreciated art and its influence became more than it would have been thought (Osterwold 6). Pop art is different from other art in that it is realist but based on the photographs which are used to make creative artistic images. Pop art was a major comeback after the introduction of the camera and convinced people to change their perspective on art increasing influence of art and painting. Pop art is different from the traditional art in that is based on mass media and popular culture. According to Osterwold, pop art is two faced with one side showing progressive and optimistic societal orientation and the pessimistic and catastrophic outlook on another side (6). It is no wonder most of the pop art is based on technology and development of the time. Osterwold continues to state people change as the world changes and the artistic impressions ought to change as well (Osterwold 7). In that case, pop art is cheerful, ironic, critical and quick to respond to what is reported in the mass media. In fact, pop art is a form of response to what the mass media states while indicating the cultural changes experienced (Osterwold 6). Pop art is defined by a presentation of motifs, individual artistic touch to the presentation, critique, metaphorogical meaning and favors technological processes. This art is based on an urban set up whose inspiration is where it all started. Another characteristic of pop art is it is based on the natural realistic outlook of an item with comical touch. In that case, the image has an abstract and figurative outlooks combined together. Any item termed as pop art has to meet these characteristics as all the major works of primary pop artists have (Walther 322). Pop art became popular among advertisers who used them for marketing their products and services. At the same time, it allowed people to create fiction books and videos which could be enjoyed by children and adults (Nici 419). Conclusion Pop art grew remarkably between 1950 and 1960 and can be credited to artists who worked on art at a time when art was not really appreciated. These artists managed to change the perceptions of the people making art and painting popular once more, as it was before the introduction of the camera. What started as a way to critic traditional art became a great influence to art and painting. Many people including advertisers and manufacturers were inspired by pop art and used it in marketing products. Pop art is credited for the fiction books and videos common in the current times. It is evident pop art made a great impact in the western society in the second half of the twentieth century and the entire world. Works Cited Desmond, Kathleen. Ideas about art. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Print. Honef, Klaus. Pop Art. Cologne, Germany: Taschen, 2004. Print. Nici, John. Barron's AP Art History. New York: Baron’s Educational Series. 2008. Print. Osterwold, Tilman. Pop Art. Cologne, Germany: Taschen, 2007. Print. Oxford Dictionaries. “Definition of pop art in English”. 2013. Web. 28 December 2013. Walther, Ingo. Art of the 20th Century. Cologne, Germany: Taschen, 2000. Print. Read More