POP ART

Pop Art in England

The Pop Art movement began in England as a reaction against the abstract art of the previous decades. In the early 1950s, the Institute of Contemporary Art in London became the venue for exhibits and lectures delivered by members of the Independent Group. These artists and art critics were fascinated by the phenomena of urbanization, industrialization, and technological development. Famous exhibits such as “Man Machine Motion” and “This Is Tomorrow” were shown in Newcastle and London respectively in 1955-1956. These exhibits revealed a shift in focus of the art of the day. Artists were now interested in showing man’s surroundings, the home and everyday items, as well as real tangible objects. The word “pop” in connection with the new movement first appeared in artistic creations, e.g. collages “I Was a Rich Man’s Plaything” (1947) by Eduardo Paolozzi or “Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing” (1956) by Richard Hamilton Both works are now iconic Pop Art creations. The term “Pop Art” is attributed to artist John McHale, who was himself often called the “Father of Pop.”