Pop Art

Artistic movement (England mid 50s then USA late 50s)

Jack Kerouac

- Influenced Andy Warhol (leading figure in the Pop Art Movement)

- Beat Generation (Rebellion of teenagers against parents, society)

- Book “On the Road” - autobiography

Pop Art Movement - "Rebelling” against the so called fine arts by introducing everyday life elements to art. Making art popular.

Although it is called Pop Art, it wasn’t produced by masses of the population. It incorporated the different kinds of manifestations of the mass culture, culture made for the masses and produced by the greatest information devices/means.

The Movement incorporated elements generated by the industrial society and reveals two sides of its own. On one side it exposes the characteristics of a society deeply influenced and marked by the industrialization, by repeating and creating instantaneous icons and on the other side it challenges the limits of art creation by not making itself casted away, but by embracing and let itself be influenced by the events during its own time/period to generate its own creations.

Influenced by the “re-rise” of the big industrial societies that were deeply affected by WWII. Took as stage the major urban centres in GB and USA and used them as inspirational environments so its first artists could create their work.

Adverts, celebrity images, comic books are some examples.

The Movement attracted the attention of the big masses by inspiriting itself in elements that in theory weren’t considered/recognised as art by taking in consideration that it was an era deeply marked/influenced by consumption.

Big movie stars, comic books, modern cars, electronic devices and canned food were deconstructed by the artists so their impression and ideas could display the power of mass production and the short life period of what industrial age had to offer.

Andy Warhol