8 Key Insights Into Pop Art

Made well-known by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, Pop Art continues to be one of the most ambiguous and diverse movements in human history. It is still a sought-after topic for exploration by many experts. Perhaps you will be surprised if you learn the eight essential details about this much-appreciated style of artwork painting.

The Origin of Pop Art

To clear up doubts about the birthplace of the famous movement, we offer you a crash course in fine art. The Independent Group, also known as a group of intellectuals, which appeared in London in the 1950s, is considered the precursor of Pop Art. Eduardo Paolozzi, along with other members of the group, invented the independent style by incorporating elements of American popular culture, including advertisement, comics, movies, literature, and more. As a result, Pop Art went beyond the biases of upper-class society and finally gained popularity in the United States.

Pop Art Enters a Battle Against Entertainment

Pop artists criticized the products of popular culture, including TV shows, video games, and other popular entertainments, by painting art. Ironic imitation of popular social activities was their main weapon against vulgar and useless pastimes.

New York is the New Frontier of Pop Art

Massive advertising and consumption made New York the ideal place for artists to find inspiration. Hence, the American capital of modern painting established itself as the iconic center of pop culture.

“Pop Art” is Simply “Popular Art”

The popular images from music, fashion, and advertisement provide the basis for real pieces of Pop Art. Based on the symbolic transformation of consumer products into colorful paintings, pop artists tend to bring a fresh perspective to daily products. For instance, Andy Warhol based his paintings on famous people or everyday objects. We can mention his vibrant reworking of the "Campbell Soup Can" in 1962, an object that has become a cult!

Pop Art vs. Fine Art: Common Ground

Pop Art employs objects blended with elements of nature and presents itself as an alternative to traditional art. It greatly promotes the use of collages and assemblage, often known as silk-screening. Many contemporary artists commonly employ vibrant colors, multiple copies of the paintings, or oversized paintings to convey their ideas. In this way, Pop Art is unconventional and frequently derided by experts while retaining great art's aesthetic qualities. To understand this trend, you need to distinguish the color and the story transmitted through the canvas.

Pop-Artistic Mindset

Pop art is a genre with an infinite framework and source of inspiration. It is necessary to embrace the spirit of the 60s, to really comprehend its nature. Pop artists were opposing massive consumerism and materialism through parody and contempt. The idea behind the artwork has become an inspiration for many other artistic spheres. Specifically, the Velvet Underground's partnership with Andy Warhol made it possible to create a brand-new artistic product. His easily recognizable and extravagant album covers rose to prominence in Warhol's image. In this way, pop art exceeds the limits of modern paintings since it doesn’t only reveal the flaws but also faces them.