Andy Warhol And Pop Art Essay Research

Andy Warhol And Pop Art Essay, Research Paper

Pop ArtThe pop art movement began in London during the 1950’s and then

quickly spread throughout nearly all of the industrialized world. Although the

artists did have some overlapping styles, pop art focuses more on the subject and

less on style, which was left up to each individual artist. The main themes that is

evident in all pop art revolves around modern social values. The style in which

these values were portrayed varied depending on the culture and artist. Critic

Barbara Rose claimed in her review of a Pop Art show that Pop Art, ” I wish to

disagree with the assumption that pop art is an art style. It is not; these artists

are linked only through their subject matter, not through stylistic similarities. This

makes it possible to talk of the iconography or attitudes of Pop art, but not of Pop

art as an art style, as one would speak of Baroque or Cubism.” (Bondo, 1998)

In America, Pop Art used the images and techniques of mass media,

advertising, and popular culture, often in an ironic way to play off the social issues

of popular culture. The art form developed rapidly once reaching the U.S. New

York City, often viewed as the epicenter of American popular culture, fostered the

growth of many of the most highly regarded pop artists, including Warhol,

Rosenquist, Segal and Lichtenstein. California, namely San Fransisco was

recognized as the Pop Art capital of the west coast (Bourdon, 1989, 12)Subject

The subject of Warhol’s work revolved around various American social

issues of the mid-century. As America exited from World War II and entered the

Baby Boom era, the culture had become decidedly sanitized. Some of this could

be attributed to the Cold War and fear of the “enemy”. The flight to suburbia,

mass production, conservative family values, and development of new social

standards also played a major role in this “Leave-it-to-Beavering” of the nation.

This was also the period of time where admass culture had its beginnings.

Warhol played off the irony of these issues in such works as Campbell’s Soup

Cans and his famous Brillo Boxes (Bourdon, 1989, 34)

During the 1960’s, the nation began to see rapid changes. The space

program was under way, the Vietnam war was in action, Kennedy was killed,

racial equity became and issue and the “hippie” movement was at its peak;

spreading its trademark ideals of free love, drugs and music. Although Warhol

continued his focus on the irony of admass culture, he began to branch out into

new territory. He began to print his Flowers series, which had a decidedly

psychedelic flavor to them, matching the flavor of the current social scene

(Bourdon, 1989, 42)

As the 70’s disco scene came to rise, Warhol’s work followed. Warhol

himself frequented many of New York City’s hottest, most glamorous nightclubs.

Studio 54, famed for its exclusivity, was one of Warhol’s favorites. It is at this

period that Warhol became totally engulfed with creating works of other people,

mostly celebrities. Ever since childhood, Warhol had been obsessed with

celebrity life and fame. Some of Warhol’s most famous works were of celebrities.

Many were chic designers such as Halson, Diane von Fursenberg, Jean Paul

Gaultier and Yves Saint Laurent (Bourdon, 1989, 53)

Death and disaster was also a subject that Warhol worked with, especially

during the early 60’s. These subjects contrasted somewhat with his others, for

they seemed to be far more gruesome and vulgar. However, it was said that

these were not intentionally vulgar, but again a clip from popular culture. When

confronted about the morbidity, Andy said “Every time you turn on the T.V. or

radio, they say something like ‘4 million are going to die’. That started it.” Warhol

frequently remarked about news broadcasts that projected deaths. For example,

a news program may project that 50,000 people will die in alcohol related

automobile accidents. To most, it seemed as if the media were relating this as a

warning. To Warhol, this was a “goal to be met.” Also, Warhol was obsessed

with the way vulgarity looses its effect after view multiple times. This is the

reason that he multiplied car accident pictures many times. Many of his famous

works, such as Car Crashes, Race Riots, Electric Chair, Suicides and Tuna Fish

Disasters were gruesome in nature (Bourdon, 1989, 109)

Another subject that seemed to permeate his work, especially his movies

was sex. This was not the sex that was seen in the pornography of the time, but

a more erotic and advant garde style. Sometimes, only bared flesh was seen,

and other times, it was full blown intercourse. Homoerotisism was another strong

theme in these movies. It wasn’t just man with man or woman with woman, that

would be too simple. Many of the scenes featured men as women, drag queens

and asexuals. This only added to the peculiarity a

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