The History of the Pop Art movement.
Pop art was a cultural movement that was born in the mid 20th century in England, from where it spread overseas within a matter of years to the U.S. Pop art focuses on popular culture instead of more elitist fine art, and values the seemingly unimportant and everyday experience, incorporating commentary on mass media, comic books, and other profane, common material.
Tilted Arc by Richard Serra's, originally commissioned to stand in front of a government building, was eventually removed after much controversy due to practical concerns that it was obstructive, as well as aesthetic concerns that it was an eyesore due to the fact that it was essentially a curved, rusty piece of metal that divided the walkway in half. It was removed in 1989.
Although usually the term “pop art” is associated with the famous pop artists of the 50's and 60's, the movement is still ongoing and pop artists still exist even in the 21st century.
Andy Warhol is probably the most famous pop artist, and his works, like his infamous depiction of the Campbell's soup can, are immediately recognizable to most Americans to this day.
The pop art movements began, like most, with a few vague founders. The Independent Group, an organization of artists in England in the early 1950's is often credited as being the founding influence in modern pop art.
Some of the best-known pop artists are Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Hamilton and James Rosenquist, though there are many more, because the movement is vast and spans many decades.
Andy Warhol was one of the best known and most influential pop artists. Born in the United States to Eastern European immigrants, he would eventually create many famous pieces of pop art that are still celebrated to this day. He was prolific and created many paintings, sculptures, films, and installations. He died in 1987.
Roy Lichtenstein was an American pop artist whose style was heavily influenced by the popular comic books of the time. He is considered one of the major original pop artists of the 1950's. He died in 1997.
Richard Hamilton was an English pop artist known to be a major founder in the movement. Some of his works are viewed as the first examples of pop art. He died in 2011.
The Independent Group was an organization of various painters, sculptors, and other artists in England who were the foundational force in the early development of the pop art movement.
