Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the 1950s and became popular in the 1960s. It was a reaction to traditional forms of art such as painting, sculpture and printmaking.
Pop art was a way of rejecting the traditional values of fine art, and instead embracing popular culture such as advertising, television and comic books. Pop art was bold, colourful and fun, but also had a serious message about our consumer-driven society.
Pop art has three main characteristics: its use of irony, its use of iconic imagery from popular culture and its use of bold colours.
Use of Irony
Pop artists were known for using irony in their work. They would take everyday objects or symbols from popular culture and present them in an unexpected way. For example, a common theme in pop art was to take objects associated with wealth or status – like a handbag or luxury car – and depict them in an ordinary or unglamorous way. This would help to emphasise the idea that consumerism is not always what it seems.
Use of Iconic Imagery
Pop artists were also known for using iconic imagery from popular culture such as advertisements, film stills, comic book characters and logos.
They would take these images out of their original context and present them in a new way, often with bright colours or text added to them. This was to highlight the power that these images have on our society.
Use of Bold Colours
Finally, pop artists were known for their use of bold colours. They used bright shades like hot pink, neon green and electric blue to draw attention to their work and make it stand out from other forms of art. They also used flat areas of colour as well as patterns to create eye-catching pieces.
Conclusion:
The three characteristics that define pop art are its use of irony, its use of iconic imagery from popular culture and its use of bold colours. Pop artists used these characteristics to create works that highlighted themes such as consumerism, identity and celebrity culture.