A comic book style man and woman sharing a milkshake

Fine Arts in Focus: What Puts the Pop in Pop Art?

Y'all've probably seen Andy Warhol's neon painting of Marilyn Monroe, called the Marilyn Diptych. While this artwork is considered a classic instance of Pop Fine art, what makes it Pop Fine art?

Multiple images of Marilyn Monroe in a grid
Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol
Paradigm courtesy of Apollo Magazine

For starters, Pop Art emerged simultaneously in the United states and the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland during the late 1950s. The Pop in Pop Art stands for popular, and that word was at the root of the fine arts motility.

The master goal of Pop Art was the representation of the everyday elements of mass civilisation. As a consequence, celebrities, cartoons, comic book characters, and bold primary colors all featured prominently in Popular Fine art.

Of course, it takes more that to exist Pop Art. Below are other essential elements of the genre, including:

Cultural Kitsch

Cultural kitsch is common, campy, and cute. "Kitsch" tin can exist a footling hard to define, simply it generally describes things that are tacky and mass-produced.

Kitsch was well-represented throughout the Pop Art movement, but i of the best examples is Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans.

32 Campbell's soup cans in a 4x8 grid
Campbell'southward Soup Cans past Andy Warhol
Image courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art

Easily Recognizable Imagery

In a mode, Pop Art was a reaction to its predecessor, Abstract Expressionism. Dissimilar Abstract Expressionism, Popular Art depicted people or objects that viewers instantly knew, like route signs or the to a higher place soup cans.

As a outcome, even at first glance, there was no question about what people were looking at in Popular Fine art pieces. In fact, this leads us to our next point: iconography.

Iconography

Common cultural icons taken from boob tube, movies, advertisements, comic books, and magazines were a authentication of Pop Art. For case, Roy Lichtenstein's Ohhh… Alright… uses comic book elements to convey its bulletin.

A red-haired woman on the phone saying, "Oh... Alright..."
Ohhh… Alright… by Roy Lichtenstein
Image courtesy of NPR

Other than Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, vehicles such as the large-finned Cadillacs of the late 1950s and Volkswagen buses of the 1960s were also amongst the favorite subjects of Pop Art artists.

Iconoclasm

Iconoclasm refers to the destruction of established imagery used in social and political contexts.

Pop Art was a significant move away from "high art" and the implied superiority of Abstract Expressionism. Many artists in the Popular Art move actually thought Abstract Expressionism was pretentious.

Therefore, they sought to nail pop icons by appropriating or repurposing them.

Inclusiveness

By drawing upon images from the cultural mainstream, Pop Art established itself every bit the fine art of the people. Its fans claimed that anyone could appreciate and understand Pop Fine art, regardless of whether they had a fine arts caste.

Irony

Lastly, the Pop Fine art motility was naught if not ironic, a quality that many of its detractors didn't sympathize. What made Pop Art ironic was how it transformed mundane, everyday items into art.

Who Put the Pop in Pop Art

Although many artists participated in the Popular Fine art motion, we've decided to highlight three special visionaries who went on to define the movement.

Andy Warhol

Naturally, Andy Warhol is a must-know. Warhol originally pursued a fine arts degree to work in commercial illustration, simply moved on to painting later in life.

Warhol's Popular Fine art work spanned a multifariousness of mediums, including silkscreening, painting, film, and multimedia. Shoes, Campbell'south soup, and Marilyn Monroe are amid his common themes.

Roy Lichtenstein

On the other manus, Roy Lichtenstein was inspired by archetype American comic strips. Like Warhol, once Lichtenstein earned his fine arts degree, he worked for several years earlier creating work that would spark the Pop Art move.

Roy Lichtenstein sitting beside his painting called Masterpiece
Photo courtesy of Gagosian

Lichtenstein's most expensive piece, Masterpiece, featured comic volume staples such as speech balloons and sold for $165 million dollars in 2017.

Corita Kent

Finally, we can't leave out Sister Mary Corita Kent.

Kent was a Roman Catholic nun and social activist who also favored silkscreen press. Balancing her fine arts studies with her religious duties, Kent created fine art promoting peace and beloved while decrying acts of injustice.

Her works include the 1985 'Beloved' postage stamp, protest art of the 1960s, and over 800 individual silkscreen pieces of activist art.

Diving Deeper Into the World of Fine Arts

Though Pop Art has its roots in the '50s and '60s, its bear upon is nevertheless felt today.

If you're curious most other Popular Art creators or the movements that Pop Art eventually inspired, pursuing a fine arts degree could assist y'all abound your involvement into something more than.

To larn how Academy of Art University can support you lot on your journey, asking data today.