Popular Culture and it's Art
Popular culture and Popular art.
Contextual Studies
19 August
2013
“An artist is somebody who produces things that people don’t need to have.” - Andy Warhol
But is it art? The popularised adage to the interrogation of much of today’s conceptual art seems most appropriate in assessing the body of art that Andy Warhol is most famous for. In a sense, the perpetual question was born out of a similar dissatisfaction that characterised the rise of Pop art. Born out of a culture of consumerism, Pop art turned the lens back, taking a reflective look and having an introspective reaction to the abstraction that preceded the consumer boom of the 1950s and 1960s in America.
Before delving into the vast topic of Pop art, it is important to understand the context from which it emerged. The rise of modern day America, the increase in mass production and as a result, mass consumerism played host to the rise of Popular Culture. Contrary to anything that had been experienced in the history of Western Culture before the 1950s, Popular Culture presented an alternative way of life. This essay will assess the origins and effects of Popular culture, and the ramifications of this new culture on the art world. Further, the similarities and differences between the art of popular culture and the abstract art that was seen during wartime will be discussed. Additionally, one of the most prominent Pop artists of this era, Andy Warhol, will be presented and discussed with a view to understand the basis, intention and inspiration of his art.
Popular culture was the result of a number of cultural and economic changes in 1950s America. Post war America was a nation full of energy and enthusiasm for the future. Wartime production had helped pull America’s economy out of the great Depression of the 1930s, and continued to grow after the war had ended. Heavy Industrialisation and corporatisation led to increasing
Contextual Studies
19 August
2013
“An artist is somebody who produces things that people don’t need to have.” - Andy Warhol
But is it art? The popularised adage to the interrogation of much of today’s conceptual art seems most appropriate in assessing the body of art that Andy Warhol is most famous for. In a sense, the perpetual question was born out of a similar dissatisfaction that characterised the rise of Pop art. Born out of a culture of consumerism, Pop art turned the lens back, taking a reflective look and having an introspective reaction to the abstraction that preceded the consumer boom of the 1950s and 1960s in America.
Before delving into the vast topic of Pop art, it is important to understand the context from which it emerged. The rise of modern day America, the increase in mass production and as a result, mass consumerism played host to the rise of Popular Culture. Contrary to anything that had been experienced in the history of Western Culture before the 1950s, Popular Culture presented an alternative way of life. This essay will assess the origins and effects of Popular culture, and the ramifications of this new culture on the art world. Further, the similarities and differences between the art of popular culture and the abstract art that was seen during wartime will be discussed. Additionally, one of the most prominent Pop artists of this era, Andy Warhol, will be presented and discussed with a view to understand the basis, intention and inspiration of his art.
Popular culture was the result of a number of cultural and economic changes in 1950s America. Post war America was a nation full of energy and enthusiasm for the future. Wartime production had helped pull America’s economy out of the great Depression of the 1930s, and continued to grow after the war had ended. Heavy Industrialisation and corporatisation led to increasing