"Pop Art Myths" and the "Myths and Heroes" Notion

Pop Art, emerged in the late 1950s and the early 1960s. It is one of the most liberating moments in the history of art. This new type of art, was a ground breaking movement as it brings to an end the division betweeen "high" and "low" culture. British, Americans, french, German, Italien, and Spanish pop artists all shared the same ambition of making a break with the past, but also of reflecting on art and reality, on art and tradition, and on art and museums. Speaking about museums, the Thyssen Museum has held an art exhibition on Pop art myths' last year. This exhibition was a very general one, giving the opportunity to the public, who had no idea what pop art is, to have a first look at it, and discover this new type of art, and it's best known artists.

Andy Warhol - Superman - 1981

Some pop artists decides to represent some "myths". But what is a myth ? According to the sheet of myth's definitions: a myth can be a popular belief or story that has become associated with a person, institution, or occurence, especially one considered to illustrate a cultural ideal.

Superman is the best representation of this 3rd definition, because he embodies the superhero myth, which became somehow a cultural belief, a role model. We also, frequently associate this superheroes myth with an institution, and more especially, with a country: The United States of America.

This painting shows superman in the background, flying with his usual suite, with a black backdrop. Over him, we can see a sketch of the same superman, but without colors.

Andy Warhol - Queen Elisabeth II 

Pop artist sometimes decides to represent some heroes too. But what does a "hero" stand for ? It can be, a characther with noble qualities, who in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, displays copurage and the will for self sacrifice - that is, heroism - for some grater good of humanity.
Queen Elisabeth II, could be a good representation of this second definition. She is on one hand, the second longest monarch, and on the other hand, she embodies the characteristics of a hero; She is a character with noble qualities, who displays courage in the face of adversity. But we can also associate her with the fourth definition, which includes national heroes with political influence, this definition may suit her better as she is the queen of 12 independent countries.
This painting shows Queen Elisabeth II with a red backroung, along with pink, green, magenta, and blue superposed squares.



In my opinion this art movement is one of the most thoughtful arts, in modern art. It breaks the rules, but without forgetting the basis of art. The fact that pop art uses themes and techniques drawn from popular mass culture, such as advertising and comic book, like the painting of Superman, showed above, shows the importance that already had the media back then . An another point of pop art's originality, is that it's painting don't specially have a meaning, as opposed to the kind of art we are used to see. I feel that pop artists don't specially work to criticize a political party, or to criticize anything in general, but they just do art, to do art. Their use of bright colors, and the fact that their paintings are so colorful brings joy to my heart. Which makes me like pop art even more.
All cultures have myths. In every century, a new a king of mythology is born. As myths are told and re-told, they change. Which is why, in every century, mythology is represented in a different way. We continue to transmit them in our modern era, not only from older people telling them to younger people, but also through our modern technologies, like Tv, books, movies, paintings, etc...
Our society is surrounded by art, which makes us much more sensitive to art. Modern "mythology" being transmitted through pop art, may not be as a bad idea after all. We can be a lot more responsive, open, to modern mythology through art. Besides, what is a better idea to represent "new" mythology, than by a "new" kind of art.

Pop Art Myths'

Just What Is It That MakesToday's Home So Different, So Appealing?
Richard Hamilton, 1956

Collage, Advertising, Comics

This theme Inherits collage's tradition from Cubisme and Dadaism, but it adds a subversive and allegorical component.

Just what is it that makes today's home so different, so appealing from Richard Hamilton is the perfect example for the collage point.

Roy Lichtenstein has centered his work into the introduction od comics into the sphere of arts. He basically Turned comic strips into large-format painting as could witness his painting Ohh... Right
The introduction of Advertising in Art is also a big aspect in pop art. For instance Coca-Cola by Wolf Vostell

Coca-Cola, (1961)
Wolf Vostell

Ohh... Alright (1964)

Roy Lichtenstein

Three flags, 1958
Jasper Johns

Emblems

This notion of Pop Art consists in appropriating several universally recognizable objects, such as the American Flag: Three flags by Jaspar Johns. Certain words, like "HOT" "POW" "OMG", could also be turned into emblems.

Myths

Love me do (The Beatles)
Peter Blake

Hollywood was an important business, which led some Pop Artists to immortalize those who achieved success in Hollywood, and became immediately idols, They even transform those stars into object of veneration. For example Love me do (The Beatles) by Peter Blake. Pop artists were even able to combine the media power of the great american idols. As the poster of the movie Casablanca by Mimmo Rotella.

Casablanca, Mimmo Rotella

Four Self Portraits - 1990
Richard Hamilton

Potraits

Pop Artists also based their works on preexisting images. They opened the door to postmodernism,where the representation no longer follows reality but rather precedes it. The model of the portrait fades away of self-portraits, like Four Self Portraits by Richard Hamilton. 

from Paolozzi’s General Dynamic
F.U.N. series (1970)

Some of them has even chose to represent some portraits people were not used to see, like General Dynamic F.U.N by Paolozzi

Landscapes, Interiors, Still Lifes

Contemporary food and packages,
by Tom Wesselmann 

The representation of traditional genres of painting: landscapes, interiors, and still lives, are adapted to the contemporary urban milieu: Dishes by James Rosenquist.

In Pop Art Still Life is no longer a tradition, private painting, but as in this era costumer society became more and more important, they stared painting public commercial space: Contemporary food and packages by Tom Wesselmann

This genre is the perfect illustration of Pop Art's principe: Every object can become art.

Disches, 1964
james rosenquist

He Foresaw His Pale Body, 1990Richard Hamilton

Urban Eroticism

In the middle of the 20th century, social attitude and normal changed, leading to mire freedoms mainly in erotism. Mass media became inundated with erotic metaphors, such as Pin-up by Richard Hamilton, which were immediately incorporated into the visual repertoire of pop art. 

Pin-up, 1961Richard Hamilton

We could find in it almost photographic realism, of women and man, transformed into objects of desire. For example, He Foresaw His Pale Body by Richard Hamilton.

Andy Warhol.  Mao, 1973.

History Painting

Pop Artist wanted to rethink and reinterpret recent and past history in new artistic media. As they're century was THE century of political event, were Politics were "on fire": Mao's era, Cold war, Franco's Era, civil wars, etc.. Pop Artists saw this opportunity, and decided to immortalize major history figures,  like Mao made by Andy Warhol, or Jackie Onassis made by the same artist, Andy Warhol.

Jackie Onassis by Andy Warhol

Peter Blake

Art about Art

Pop Artist wanted to rethink "classic" art, by making parodies of masterpieces, by ruminating on renaissance art: like Peter Blake's painting at the right. They basically used images about images to either turn them into a strategy of political denunciation, or to criticize the veneration in which were held into. They also make art about art, to give them an another reinterpretation, an another via point: like Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Alain Jacket.

Dejeuner sur l'herbe, 1964
Alein Jacket

MYTHS & HEROES

Here is my myths & heroes Worksheet.