Pop Art - Extracting Consumer Driven World From the Shallows of Darkness - By: Annette Labedzki

Pop Art, a peculiar artistic innovation of the twentieth century, centered on the growing interests of several artists in mass media, advertising, comics, and consumer products imagery. English critic, Lawrence Alloway, in a 1958 issue of Architectural Digest, first used the term, 'Pop Art.' 'Pop Artistry' displayed the celebration of post-war consumerism, challenging the psychology of 'Abstract Expressionism,' and emphasizing on praying for the God of materialism.

'Pop Art' Movement, with its British origin in the 1950s, realized its full potential in the United States of America in 1960s. In the US, this art style was particularly oriented towards the wealth and the prosperity of the post World-War II era, with the artists acknowledging the nation's consumerist class. The same movement in Britain however, was undiplomatic and carried a more sentimental flavor. This difference was rooted to the fact that while the prevalent consumerist culture inspired the American artists, the ones in Britain fueled their ideas by the American culture viewed afar.

'Pop Art' developed as a reaction against the then dominant 'Abstract Expressionist' art culture. In contrast to the concentrated crème de la crème artistic disposition, 'Pop Art' favored the use of popular images, highlighting the everyday elements of any given culture. The art includes irony and an artist's use of the mechanical means of creative reproduction, as the integrals. 'Pop Art' successfully reduced to a significant degree, the existing differences between 'good taste' and 'bad taste,' and between 'fine art' and 'commercial art' techniques.

'Pop Artist' Eduardo Paolazzi was one of the founders of the 'Independent Group,' a precursor to the 'Pop Art' Movement. His works influenced several British artists. The first 'Pop' piece, "Just What Is It that Makes Today's Home so different, so appealing?" by Richard Hamilton, was laced with several references to popular culture and consumerism. Some of the other leading British 'Pop Artists' included David Hockney, R.B. Kitaj, and Allen Jones. Therefore, coinciding with the youth and the pop music phenomenon of the 1950s and 60s, 'Pop Art' became a 'fad' statement and a part of the image of fashionable, 'swinging' London.

Some of the leading exponents of Pop Art in America, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, adopted popular imagery, such as American flag and beer cans in their works. Rauschenberg's creations, particularly deeply concerned with the contemporary society. Another celebrated artist, Andy Warhol, attained fame for his recreation of the quasi-photographic paintings of people or everyday objects. The noted American 'Pop Artist,' Roy Lichtenstien, dealt in the comic strip style and employed illustrative techniques for a great aesthetic effect. 'Pop Art' proved a worthy statement for valuing up the consumer-driven culture, which otherwise would have remained in the shallows of darkness.

Pop Art, a peculiar artistic innovation of the twentieth century, centered on the growing interests of several artists in mass media, advertising, comics, and consumer products imagery. English critic, Lawrence Alloway, in a 1958 issue of Architectural Digest, first used the term, 'Pop Art.' 'Pop Artistry' displayed the celebration of post-war consumerism, challenging the psychology of 'Abstract E

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada. She has more than 25 years experience and is the founder-developer of an online art gallery featuring original art. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art. Artists join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at www.labedzki-art.com