The Pop Art Movement

Pop Art developed slightly differently in AmericaJoe could easily identify the symbolism in their
and Britain but in quite a curious way - Americanwork.
Pop artists were inspired by the burgeoningBut it wasn't all that simple, Pop art was terribly
consumerist, media driven, fame obsessed cultureclose to the reality that they represented but it
of America whereas in Britain they were inspiredwas clear that they were re-creations of real
by the same - but different - they were looking inthings. This is where the talent lay, American
at it from the safe or annoying barrier of theadvertising had become very sophisticated, utilising
Atlantic. Pop Art was an affirmation of this culturemany elements of modern art, therefore Pop
not a repudiation, there was a satirical quality to itartists had to discover different methods to
but it was far from the Dadaist destruction ofdistance their work, to save it from being
artefacts of mass culture. Pop artists were farconsumed. Britain and America differed in their
from detached, they appeared completelyapproaches, the former had the luxury of being
swallowed by pop culture, indeed some becamemore sentimental and humorous but the latter,
more pop than pop itself. Like the culture thatliving in the eye of it had to be more bold and
they were interpreting, their work was easy toaggressive.
understand, it was far from elitist, the common