POP ART – art or not an art that is a question

Richard Hamilton, one of the members of The Independent Group (which created pop art in UK in mid ’50), defined the new movement, saying: “Pop – art is: Popular (designed for the mass audience), Transient (short – term solution), Expandable (easily forgotten), Low Cost, Mass Produced, young (aimed at youth), Witty, Gimmicky, Glamorous, Bid Buisness.




So it is still the art or rather the remix of mass media, but just rose to the range of the art pieces? My biased opinion is that it still can be consider as some kind of art. Definitely not sophisticated in meanings and techniques like Old Masters’ art or modern American Abstractionism trend. But what pop – artists wanted to do was simply bring the art into everyday life and synthesized commercials and art. Considering this I guess it was very successful comment on popular culture, even more in the USA, where fast food and leisure stuff was more common (especially in ‘ 60). Warhol’s first exhibited piece ‘Campbell’s Soup contains 32 cans painted on canvas can be great example of cooperation between art and commercial. After this exhibition (1962) Campbell in 1968 used this in their advert campaign. So as Hamilton said everything is a Big Business.



Monem N. K., (2007), Pop Art Book, London, Black Dog Publishing

http://www.centrepompidou.fr/education/ressources/ENS-Popart-EN/ENS-PopArt-EN.htm#chronology