What is Pop Art?
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the 1950s and 1960’s in Britain and in the United
States. Notable pop artists include Andy Warhol (most well-known), Roy Lichtenstein, James
Rosenquist, and Claes Oldenburg.
Pop art often uses identifiable imagery drawn from popular culture, mass media, and commercial
advertising.
Pop art often removes the material from its original context and isolates it, or combines it with
other objects for viewer contemplation.
Pop art often uses Irony, wit and humour within it.
Pop art often uses high-contrast colours shemes in order for material to stand out off the page
(heavy use of complementary colour schemes / triadic colour schemes) (see colour theory notes)
Pop art images are often presented in a unique way.
Pop artists celebrated daily objects which were often mass-produced and highly commercialized.
Highly criticized by many at first, pop art has become one of the most recognizable styles of
modern art.
Some Key Ideas / Themes:
Popular Culture
Advertising
COMMON everyday objects (sometimes mundane objects) (mass produced)
BOLD COLOURS / Different colours (complementary colour schemes / triadic colour
schemes)
Heavy doses of IRONY, WIT, and sometimes HUMOUR within art.
Consumerism
Years following World War II; media, products, slogans
Hollywood FAME (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, etc)
Andy Warhol:
Andy Warhol:
Andy Warhol:
Roy Lichtenstein:
James Rosenquist:
Some Artwork inspired by the early Pop-Art Movement:
(Not by any notable artist)