Pop Art 1960s - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... The first reference to Pop Art was made by a British art critic, Lawrence Alloway in an essay called, ‘The arts and mass media’. He perhaps, was the first one to defend mass culture as an art form. Concerning the origins of Pop Art, Alloway said, “The term, originated in England by me, as a description of mass communications, especially, but not exclusively, visual ones." The earliest of paintings to be recognised as Pop art was a small 101/4 X 93/4 inches collage titled ‘Just what is it that makes today’s homes s different, so appealing’ by British Artist Richard Hamilton along with John Mc Hale and John Voelcker for an exhibition titled, This is tomorrow, held in 1956 in London. The painting features the interiors of artist Mc Hale’s home, where a body builder holds a big lollypop, on which the word ‘Pop’ is written. At a side on a sofa is a nude posing. The other elements in the collage are a comic book strip, a ham tine, newspaper and a tape recorder, a vacuum cleaner, television set and perhaps an image of the moon. Windows of this room seem to be open, giving a peek of a movie theatre.The modern city life depicts the essence of Pop Art. Images from newspapers, magazines and catalogues form the image of contemporary life. Interpretations of this piece of art are many. However, by and large, the collage seems to represent then new ideas of communication that the artists. The subject has been reworked many a times by Hamilton, including a 1992 version where a female body builder replaces the muscle man.
Hamilton has created many remarkable pieces of art, the most famous being replica of Duchamp's, The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors (1965), Hommage a Chrysler corp. (1957), Interior (1964) etc.
While Richard Hamilton can be rightly called precursor of Pop Art, American Artist Andy Warhol extended the Pop Art genre giving it new heights, newer dimensions. He experimented with different mediums-painting, sculpture; film, etc., his most famous work being Campbell's Soup Cans.
During the 1960s, Warhol laid the foundation of his studio, The Factory in these years he sought not only ...Download file to see next pagesRead More