Who Is Considered the Founder of Pop Art?

Art|Pop Art

Pop art has become one of the most recognizable and influential artistic movements of the 20th century. From its emergence in the mid-1950s, pop art has revolutionized how we think about art, placing everyday objects and mass media imagery at the center of fine art. But who is considered the founder of pop art?

The title of “founder” is usually attributed to Richard Hamilton, an English artist who created a collage called “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?” in 1956. This was one of the earliest examples of pop art, as it incorporated popular culture, brash colors, and a cartoonish tone in a fine art context.

However, some argue that American artist Jasper Johns should be credited as the founder of pop art. His work from 1954-55 featured flag images that were based off iconic commercial logos and advertisements. While not as explicitly commercial as Hamilton’s work, Johns’ pieces nonetheless reflected popular culture and mass media.

Finally, some people point to British artist Eduardo Paolozzi as the founder of pop art. He created a series called “Bunk!” in 1949 that incorporated commercial imagery such as comic strips and advertisements into his collages.

While this predates both Hamilton’s and Johns’ works by several years, Paolozzi’s works were not widely known until much later.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, it is difficult to definitively say who is the founder of pop art. While Richard Hamilton is often credited with this title due to his 1956 collage “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing? “, other artists such as Jasper Johns and Eduardo Paolozzi have also been credited for their contributions to early pop art.