Pop Art began in the 1950’s but gained its true prominence in the 60s. Inspired from images
and ideas of popular culture in America and Britain, Pop Art is often characterized by the use of
common images found in advertising, consumer products, mass media, comics and other such
sources. The images found within Pop Art Pictures are easily and quickly recognizable to those
living within the period of the arts inception, but because trends and fads constantly change, the
understanding of the cultural significance of such images is often confusing to later generations.

Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and the British artist Richard Hamilton are just a few of the
many popular artists; however, it is Andy Warhol who is most iconic within this genre. The
style of Andy Warhols Pop Art draws on images of popular celebrities and advertisements taking
simplistic inspiration from a Campbell’s soup can or popular celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe
and Elizabeth Taylor to create some of his most famous pieces.

As most art movements are reactions against or responses to their predecessors, Pop Art is best
understood in light of the previous popular ideas of Abstract Expressionism and sought not only
to focus the genre on iconic images popular of the time, but, in so doing, allow art to be enjoyed
and more easily understood by all. By taking images and ideas of common society, Pop Art was
a direct reaction to the more elitist culture of previous art forms and allowed for a much broader
audience. However, as the beginning is inspired by the ending one, so too, the ending often
inspires the beginning of other forms of art. Thus, Pop Art is thought to be one of the last great
movements of Modern Art, thus issuing in an age of Contemporary or Postmodern Art.

The quick attraction and ease of accessibility that Pop Art allowed its audience soon created a
demand that required new ideas of production for the growing consumption of the artwork. It is
a strange irony in Pop Art that the images of mass-produced items, such as Campbell’s soup cans
and Coca-Cola, were soon mass-produced themselves. The mass-producing of Pop Art Paintings
caused a bit of controversy within the art community by requiring the ability to duplicate the
art easily, thus, as some felt, taking away the true inspiration of the art, and making it nothing
more than a consumer product. The artists recognized and even capitalized on this idea therefore
allowing the availability of the art in such mediums as Pop Art Posters.

Pop Art has changed the way art is understood, appreciated and consumed. Imagekind
understands the importance of allowing as many people to enjoy the art as possible, not
keeping it for a select few, but permitting all to access and enjoy. Peruse our Pop Art Gallery
paying special attention to the significance of the somewhat simplistic images of popular
advertisements, celebrities and products brought to the true consumer, the art consumer, in a
completely different light.