The Origens and Artists That Made Pop Art Famous

Pop Art: The explosion of celebrity culture, consumerism and widespread icons, from the 1950s/60s up until today.

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Popular Art is a tremendously influential movement that originally began betwixt the 1950s and '60s. Information technology spoke to the masses - rather than to individuals – with its focus on the simplified linguistic communication of mail-war consumerism.

What is Popular Fine art?

At its core Pop Art is Commercial Art, a reproduceable Fine art grade of the seemingly eternal icons for the masses, developed on the streets, outside of the galleries of the elite, and from the symbols of daily life.

Artists started to utilise symbols and references which were a direct reference to everyday products, brands, and mass symbols - the 'culture' which was influencing people's lives, views and habits. These 'icons of modern-day society' represented the earth in which these artists – and people in general - grew upwardly.

The brands, images and faces of Hollywood stars were seen everywhere, recognisable in adverts, on the shelves of the local supermarket or in the kitchen cupboard. They were the omnipresent visual symbols of 'Pop Culture'.

In the 1950s-60s, the 'star-arrangement' - the world of celebrity culture that began in the 1920s with the big stars of Hollywood starting from the pre-war years - reached its superlative. There was a sense of 'Pop Culture', surrounding the big names and their prototype. And now it affected both the works of gimmicky artists and the lives of the artists themselves. Fame became primal.

By starting to use the common symbols and icons, realising the effect of these strong images, artists soon became stars themselves. More ever before, the Art World was a world of celebrities.

Who are the nearly influential artists of Popular Fine art?

1. Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

Andy Warhol is probably the most influential figure of Popular Art. He became a renowned celebrity himself. Understanding 'star-culture', advertisement and the effect of the media, he made these the core of his work – and life equally an artist. His studio, besides known as the Factory, became a hive for artistic celebrities of the time, attracting other powerful personalities and resonating the event of the Andy Warhol 'brand'.

Nosotros can see him equally the consummate representation of this culture and movement. With his distinctive and very personal style, Warhol gave voice to glory civilization similar nobody else and his works still influence art, fashion and blueprint today.

For example, Manager Gus Van Sant has recently appear he is working on a musical, 'Andy' to celebrate this legendary effigy! It will also include a duet with Warhol and the Art Critic Clement Greenberg, every bit if to mark his anti-conventional grapheme and importance for the Fine art Globe. In May 2021, v Andy Warhol's works were sold at auction in the class of NFTs, as the result of a collaboration between The Andy Warhol Foundation and Christie's auction house.

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n.d., Recreation of Andy Warhol's Amiga 1000 displaying a digital self-portrait, n.d., Courtesy of the Warhol Museum and Artnet.com

2. Keith Haring (1958-1990)

American Keith Allen Haring started as a Street Artist, leaving marks and messages on the streets and in the subway in New York. Equally he stated: "My dad made drawing characters for me, and they were very similar to the style I started to depict—with one line and a cartoon outline".

He first studied Commercial Art at Pittsburgh, and then feeling the need to motility away he left the school to go to New York Urban center where he became known as one of the not bad figures of Graffiti Art and Pop Art. His extremely recognisable imagery was speaking for the subculture of the 1980s, advocating for AIDS sensation and drug abuse. His work was fifty-fifty exhibited in the Whitney Biennial and Venice Biennale.

In Apr 1986, Haring opened the Pop Shop in Soho, selling merchandise featuring his work. Criticised for this, he stated "I could earn more money if I just painted a few things and jacked up the price. My shop is an extension of what I was doing in the subway stations, breaking down the barriers betwixt high and low fine art."

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Tseng Kwong Chi, Photo of Keith Haring at his Pop Store, n.d., Courtesy of The Keith Haring Foundation ©Keith Haring Foundation/ Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc., New York.

iii. Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997)

Roy Fox Lichtenstein is ane of the fathers of the Pop Art movement. His works are characterised past a very unique style, making him one of the leading artists. In Nov 2015, Christie's sold Lichtenstein's 'Nurse' for a record $95.iv meg.

In this piece, as well as in other works, nosotros can see how the enlarged imagery of adverts and comics with recognisable characters, highlights the irony of the images and situations which absurdly depict every-day life.

This creative person defined Pop art not equally 'American' painting, but as 'Industrial' painting. Information technology was disruptive, inspired past comics featuring state of war and romantic stories, "anything I could use as a subject that was emotionally strong […] reverse to the removed and deliberate painting techniques".

Roy Lichtenstein, I Know… Brad (1963)

four. Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004)

American creative person Tom Wesselmann, whose work has seen a renewed involvement in the years following his death, worked in sculpture, painting and collage. He gave a potent poetic twist to the common subjects of Pop Art.

In his practice, he studied traditional themes, such as the nude, nonetheless life and mural, blending them with publicity and everyday objects. His work combines realistic objects with surreal, dreamy and illusionistic spaces, fabricated with strong chromatic surfaces.

Tom Wesselmann, Double page headpiece (pages 72-73) from 1¢ Life, 1964, Courtesy of MOMA ©Tom Wesselmann/ Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.

5. Mimmo Rotella (1918-2006)

Italian artist Domenico Rotella, also known as Mimmo Rotella, was an incredibly active artist in the 2nd one-half of the 20th century. He is considered i of the most important figures of post-war European art.

Close to Ultra-Lettrists, Nouveau Réalisme and even the Pop Art movement, he combined pieces of adverts and posters in his décollage works. For this technique he used a serial of stripped and torn posters, assembling them to create a tremendously expressive and powerful aesthetic.

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Mimmo Rotella, Sempre lei Marilyn (2002), décollage on canvas

6. Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008)

Robert Rauschenberg was an American graphic artist, photographer, printmaker, painter and performance artist. According to some he anticipated the Pop Fine art movement, however, he has been described equally a 'Neo-Dadaist'.

Co-ordinate to him, "painting relates to both art and life" – and his aim was to work "in the gap between the two". Rauschenberg nerveless discarded objects on the streets of New York Metropolis, incorporating them in his work. He even introduced found pictures in his paintings by using serigraphy to transpose them on the canvas – a technique which was widely used by Pop Artists.

Robert Rauschenberg, Estate (1963), oil and silkscreen in on canvass. Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Fine art

7. Richard Hamilton (1922-2011)

Richard Hamilton was a leading figure of the British generation of Pop Art artists. Similar many other artists of this movement, his roots in Commercial Art had a great impact on his work.

His collage "Just What is it that makes today'south homes so different, so appealing?" (1956) was used as the main image for the affiche and catalogue of an exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery, giving him an incredible amount of visibility and underlining the importance of his piece of work. He was also part of the 'Independent Group', which had a strong function in the British Pop Fine art motility.

Richard Hamilton, But what was it that made yesterdays homes so different, and so appealing? (1956), collage.
Courtesy of the Tate drove

eight. James Rosenquist (1933-2017)

Another extremely of import and famous Pop Fine art artist is with no doubt James Rosenquist. He tin can be considered i of the strongest and most influential modern Pop Fine art artists, along with Warhol and Lichtenstein.

His work dived deep into cinematography and advertising, drawing from his background in sign painting. James Rosenquist employed techniques which are conventionally used to create Commercial Art. His works announced as an overwhelming mixture of fragmented images of current icons, everyday objects and popular foods - giant lipsticks or spaghetti.

James Rosenquist, President-Elect, 1960-61/1964, oil on linen. Centre Pompidou, Paris

9. Robert Indiana (1928-2018)

American creative person Robert Indiana created world-famous iconic works, which still have a strong influence on Pattern. Scenographer and costume designer, he had an incredibly interesting career.

He used flashy assuming words, similar 'Swallow' or 'HOPE'. Highlighting the commercial aspect of these eye-catching short words, the Pop aspect is clear in his piece of work. His almost iconic piece is "Beloved" (1970), a sculpture that became widely known and replicated.

Robert Indiana, LOVE, print from the famous sculpture "Beloved" (New York City)

10. Mel Ramos (1935-2018)

Creative person Mel Ramos was an American figurative painter, whose family was originally Portuguese-Azorean. An exponent of Pop Fine art and a university professor, his works oftentimes were of the female person nude, mixing abstract and realist aspects.

His works were presented aslope those past Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, and exhibited in many group shows. He was actually 1 of the first to depict comic book strips. A sure irony can be found in his works – distinguishing him from other Pop artists. In fact, his symbols and subjects accept a slightly different meaning to those found in works of others.

Mel Ramos, Chiquita Banana (1969), polychrome enamel

11. Hariton Pushwagner (1940-2018)

Terje Brofos, who's artist name was Hariton Pushwagner, was a Norwegian Pop Creative person. He was a Graphic artist and painter – and even a lawn tennis player. After his studies at the State's School of Fine art and Design in Olso, he spent many years struggling to notice his personal mode before becoming famous for his piece of work.

His works show cartoonish images, partially derived past his fascination with Nowegian author Axel Jensen's work. They take a strong bold graphic quality to them, and present impressive narratives.

Hariton Pushwagner, Re Traversa (Soft city) (1969), impress on paper

12. Billy Apple (1935-2021)

Billy Apple, born Barrie Bates, was a painter and sculptor from New Zealand. His works have been strongly connected to the American and British schools of Pop Fine art of the 1960s, and the Conceptual Art of the 1970s. He even collaborated with many Pop artists, including Andy Warhol.

Creating his own persona after studying at London's Royal College of Art, he bleached his hair and eyebrows – making a recognisable image. He was i of the first artists to create neon artworks, and also opened an alternative studio. Information technology was a meeting point for many artists, such equally those of Fluxus and many Conceptual Artists.

Billy Apple tree, Vertical Progressive, 1963, Courtesy of Wikiart.org ©Baton Apple.

13. Wayne Thiebaud (1920-current)

Wayne Thiebaud is a vastly recognised creative person, particularly for his works depicting everyday objects found in diners and cafeterias. Although he is often referred to equally a famous Popular Art artist, he sometimes is said to be different from the popular culture due to the distinct painting technique he has adopted.

Strongly against labels such every bit 'fine art' and 'commercial art', he did non see himself as a Pop artist. He despised the 'flat' and 'mechanical' aspect of Pop Art, yet, his subjects oftentimes had a potent connexion to this Art movement.

Wayne Thiebaud, Pankake Breakfast (2008), oil on sheet

14. Alex Katz (1927-current)

Alex Katz is an American figurative artist, known for his sculptural, pictorial and print works. He has never stopped creating fresh and influential works - nowadays belonging to some of the most prestigious displays, collections and museums.

Originally from New York and of Jewish descent, Alex Katz became well-known in the 1980s. He developed a unique style which is linked both to Abstract Expressionism and Popular Art, and is particularly well-known for his large-scale flat and assuming colourful paintings.

Alex Katz, Coca-Cola Girls (2018), archival pigment ink on white paper. Courtesy of Timothy Tailor

15. Yayoi Kusama (1929-current)

Japanese Gimmicky artist Yayoi Kusama is an incredibly of import living artist. Rooting her practice in Conceptual Fine art, Feminism, Minimalism, Surrealism, Art Brut, Abstract Expressionism and (of class) Pop Fine art, her works cover sculpture, installation, operation, film, mode, poesy, fiction and painting.

Yayoi Kusama moved to New York City in 1958, attracted to the powerful and vivid American Pop Art scene, simply since then she has returned to Japan. She implemented her studies virtually infinity with her all-around sculptures, and often touches on autobiographical, psychological and sexual content in her piece of work.

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Yayoi Kusama, the artist with her work "Tentacles" (2012-2015)

16. Claes Oldenburg (1929-current)

Originally from Sweden, Claes Oldenburg is a sculptor. He is known for his behemothic replicas or soft versions of immediately recognisable objects of everyday life.

His chief focus was food and the fashion information technology has been devalued – shifting from a primary necessity to a commercial product. Many of his works were fabricated with his wife Coosje van Bruggen.

The choice of analysing symbols of mass consumption equally subjects for his sculptures makes Claes Oldenburg a perfect example of a modern Pop Art artist. In 1960-61, he even rented a store to then fill up it with painted plaster copies of food, wearable, jewellery and other items in his work 'The Store'.

Claes Oldenburg, Floor Burger (1962). Courtesy of the MOMA, New York

17. Jasper Johns (1930-current)

American painter, sculptor and printmaker Jasper Johns is linked to Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Dada and Pop Art. Born in South Carolina, in Allendale, he moved to New York in 1949, when he decided to report for a few semesters at Parson's Design School. He soon entered the Fine art scene with some works that brought up an inedited relation between real and painted images.

He is well-known for his works which represent the American flag. But his works also focus on lettering, newspaper prints, numbers, textures and maps. His pieces have oftentimes had the title of most paid work by a living artist, reaching record prices at auction.

Jasper Johns, Three Flags (1958), oil on canvas. Whitney Museum of American Fine art

xviii. Peter Blake (1932-electric current)

Peter Blake is a famous British Pop artist. His work used elements from advertising and often used collage to include distinct symbols and pop references.

He was the creator of the famous album cover of The Beatles, 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', two of The Who'south albums, the cover of a Ring Assist single, a Live Assist poster – and worked on many other remarkable commissions. In 2002, he was knighted for his services to the Arts at Buckingham Palace.

Peter Blake, 100 Sources of Popular Fine art

19. James Gill (1934-current)

American Artist James Gill is seen every bit a primal figure of Pop Fine art. He is especially well-known for his 'Marilyn Triptych' (1962), which entered the MOMA's permanent collection in 1962.

James Gill'southward works are based on the central Popular themes of Celebrity Culture and the icons of mod-24-hour interval life – however they are strongly political. In his work in that location is a disquisitional level, casting a grim and melancholic light onto important social and political themes, amidst which the Vietnam War.

However, after retiring from the Arts for well-nigh 30 years and returning in 2010, now his works focus much more than on the pop imagery of celebrities, technically blending realism and abstraction in a much more serene manner.

James Francis Gill, Three Faces of Marilyn (2014), acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of Galerie Urs Reichlin

twenty. Jim Dine (1935-current)

Another incredibly famous artist is Jim Dine, with more than 300 solo exhibitions in important institutions. His work includes painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and photography – but fifty-fifty assemblage and happenings in his early on works.

He is associated with many different artforms - Neo-Dada and Abstract Expressionism, too as Popular Art. In fact, like Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, he was part of the New Dada motility – resisting his clan to Pop Fine art and this motion'due south typical commemoration of icons. Questioning the power of iconic symbols, he adult a vocabulary of simple symbols such as tools, hearts and birds – universally recognisable and fifty-fifty artless.

Jim Dine, A Sign of its Stake Color, Tenderness (2015). Courtesy of Artribune

21. David Hockney (1937-electric current)

Returning to the British Pop Art scene, we encounter David Hockney's work. Painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, Hockney is ane of the most prominent British Pop artists.

His painting style combines a figurative idea with the vibrant pop colour palette, creating extremely expressive settings that are withal highly recognisable. In fact, his works are extremely pop, breaking sales records multiple times – such equally with his 90-1000000-dollar painting "Double Portrait", sold at Christie'due south in 2018.

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David Hockney, Portrait of an Artist (Puddle with Two Figures), 1972

22. Ed Ruscha (1937-current)

Now living and working in California and represented past the Gagosian Gallery, Edward Ruscha is an American creative person. His works span photography, painting, cartoon, printmaking and film. His main influences were Jasper Johns, Marcel Duchamp and Edward Hopper.

Graduating from the Chouinard Fine art Institute in 1960 and collaborating with many big names, his early works are profoundly connected to the Pop Art movement and the Beat out Generation. But they as well contain aspects of Dada, Surrealism, Abstruse Expressionism and Conceptual Art besides.

Edward Ruscha, Trademark #five (20th Century Flim-flam), 1999

23. Peter Max (1937-current)

Peter Max is a German American artist, whose work is recognizable for the employ of brilliant colours and the visual imagery, Culture and Aesthetics from the 1960s. His work has been associated with Psychedelic, Counter-Culture, Neo-Expressionism and Popular Art influences in Graphic Design.

He has often incorporated many icons and symbols in his work. Thank you to the popularity of his timely way, he has collaborated with musicians - such equally Bob Dylan, and had numerous commissions – similar the commencement 'Preserve the Environment' postage postage stamp.

Peter Max, Marilyn, from the retrospective "The Collected Works 1960-2017

24. Jeff Koons (1955-current)

Talking about mass consumption and collective icons, we cannot forget to mention American creative person Jeff Koons. Although this creative person emerges later than other artists, his Neo-Popular shapes tin can be seen as shut relatives of Andy Warhol'due south iconic artworks.

His works echo Pop Fine art, not merely for their colourfulness, but too for the monumentality and influential power that they have. His kitsch and colourful sculptures – among which the well-known works 'Rabbit', 'Puppy' and 'Balloon Dog' - uniquely readdress the positive society for which they were created.

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Jeff Koons, Popeye (2009-2011), mirror polished stainless steel with transparent color coating.
Courtesy of Sonnabend Gallery, New York

25. George Condo (1957-electric current)

As well working at Andy Warhol's Manufactory for a flow, George Condo is a contemporary visual creative person, working in painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. He is a highly respected artist that used the Pop narrative to create a style of his own.

In the 80s, he coined the term 'Artificial Realism' to describe his early work – "the realistic representation of that which is artificial" – coming together the paintings past the Erstwhile European Masters with American Pop Art. In his most recent piece of work, Condo's paintings interpret human-like figures in a humorous, grotesque and cartoonish world. Still dominating the gimmicky art scene, he refers to this line of work as 'Psychological Cubism'.

George Condo, The Croaky Key (2001), oil on canvas

26. Nara Yoshimoto (1959-electric current)

Nara Yoshimoto is an active Japanese artist living in Tokyo. His work represents uncomplicated figures with cartoonish features. Appearing harmless, like children or domestic animals, but with contrasting expressions, poses or holding weapons, they oft result unsettling.

In a similar fashion to some other artist, Takashi Murakami – Yoshimoto'southward work has been defined as 'superflat' and 'pop' – expanding the iconography, cultural icons and symbols that nosotros conventionally associate with early Popular Art works.

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Nara Yoshimoto, Knife Backside Back (2000), oil on canvas

27. Takashi Murakami (1962-current)

Contemporary creative person Takashi Murakami is an important figure both for Pop Fine art and Japanese Culture. Painter, sculptor, and commercial artist, Murakami developed artworks inspired past his country'south iconography – clouding the boundaries between loftier and low Art.

Originally from Tokyo, his artistic style presents returning motifs and anime inspired characters depicted in bright colours on big surfaces, or in the course of life-sized sculptures. He coined the term 'superflat', used to describe the Japanese aesthetic tradition – and since then it has been applied to his works.

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Takeshi Murakami, Mr. dub And Bunny, digital fine art (2019)

28. Damien Hirst (1965-electric current)

The remarkably controversial effigy of English language artist, entrepreneur and collector Damien Hirst has undoubtedly dominated the Art scene. He won the Turner Prize in 1995, curated the art evidence 'Freeze' while studying, giving form to the successful group YBAs (Immature British Artists) in the 1990s.

His conceptual works have a strong issue on audiences world-wide – making them nigh definitely Popular. Just like Andy Warhol, Death is an important theme for his work. Oftentimes adopting Pop Art aesthetics, using symbols, powerful images or controversial icons he alludes to the globe of consumption.

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Damien Hirst, Skull with Clocks in Eyes (2008), household gloss on canvas.
Courtesy of Damien Hirst and Science Ltd.

29. Banksy

Anonymous street artist Banksy is probably the well-nigh popular artist present. His fame is worldwide due to his Street Fine art works and his provocative arroyo. His style is of strong Street Fine art derivation and his chief mediums are spray paint and stencils. His works tackle current social and political situations.

Fifty-fifty though he cannot directly be classified equally a Popular Fine art artist, his works are strongly influenced by popular images, Pop Art and consumerist symbols – with his most iconic works becoming reproduceable icons themselves.

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Banksy, Daughter With Balloon (2006). Courtesy of Sotheby's

xxx. Niclas Castello (1978-current)

A Contemporary artist, strongly influenced past Pop Art, is German Niclas Castello. Inspired by Street creative person Invader, and initially a Street creative person himself, his works are powerful and iconic, related to fashion and consumerism.

He became renowned thanks to 'The Kiss' sculptures which accept a similar monumental stance to Jeff Koons' glossy and metallic balloons or Claes Oldenburg's behemothic replicas of everyday objects. In general, his works combine Neo-Expressionist and Street Art influences, as well as the Neo-Popular variation of other famous Pop art artists' subjects.

Niclas Castello, The Osculation (Shiny Red) (2013-2015). Courtesy of Guy Hepner

What can we define every bit Popular Art today?

Many names are still recognisable at present. The Pop artists' works take become fifty-fifty more widespread. In fact, even though the end of this move is connected to the tragic expiry of Andy Warhol, many aspects of the culture and the of import artworks are nevertheless influential today.

Nevertheless, Popular Art is not only about the repeated colourful silkscreen prints of Campbell'due south Soup Cans. It is a very various move – which nonetheless speaks for the consumeristic club of icons, symbols and brands of our contemporary world.

Different techniques, such as oil paints, acrylics, lithography, drawings, graphics, sculptures, textiles – the boundaries of Popular Art are difficult to ascertain.

Is Pop Fine art dead?

Unquestionably, Pop Art has had an enormous amount of success, influencing the vocabulary of many contemporary artists all over the world. From the 1960s up until today, club has been greatly focused on celebrities, mass production and consumption.

However, today Neo-Popular works nowadays similar objects and subjects just in an elevated manner to those with which Pop started. The world of Street Fine art has get more than focused on the icons of mod day and graphic images of publicity. Just like Pop, it is elevating 'low' Art and popular symbols.

Merely as Keith Haring'due south simplified figures covered New York in the 80s, walking around London today we encounter a serial of extremely expressive figures fatigued only with a few basic lines – works past British Graffiti creative person Stik.

Stik, Dancer (2011), digital print in black and red. Courtesy of Christie'due south

Stik's works have been exhibited and sold at finest galleries and auctions. His mode is unique in colour and class and shows a very contemporary strand of what can be seen every bit Popular. Its reproducibility, legibility, iconic nature and popularity are a clear reference to Keith Haring's works.

But at present the digital realm has go the middle stage for contemporary society mixing and taking from the visual civilization of games, influencers and the globe of digital consumption. It is as if the Pop Art motion was still evolving and being discovered as the digital and physical boundaries of reproduction are reached.

'Pop Culture' has become a more diverse expanded category of symbols, fictional and non-fictional characters and images. Then perhaps, more than asking ourselves whether Pop Fine art is a move of the past, we should ask ourselves how this motility pushed artists, and the masses, to look at the new horizons of the Arts.

Embrace paradigm: James Rosenquist, President-Elect, 1960-61/1964, oil on linen. Courtesy Eye Pompidou, Paris.

Written by Zoë Zanello

Due south tay Tuned on Kooness mag for more exciting news from the art earth.

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