8.2: Pop Art (1950s-1960s) – Humanities LibreTexts [Video]

Introduction

The Pop Art movement emerged in the 1950s in England and the United States, breaking away from traditional art concepts by incorporating ordinary objects such as comic books and advertising used in mass culture. Following a period of experimentation and increased consumerism after the war, artists were inspired by the world around them to create art based on prevalent culture. Unlike the Abstract Expressionists, the turbulent political climate and growing consumerism influenced artists to focus on bright primary colors and use printing and painting techniques that reflected realism. Pop Art artists linked their work to mass media such as film, television, cartoons, and everyday mass-produced images, resulting in a style that blurred the lines between high-class art and low-class culture. By focusing on recognizable and mundane images, Pop Art became one of the most recognized movements, as the artists sought to connect art with the media world surrounding ordinary people …