As music jumped from the traditional classical style to the modern pop form with the invention of rock and roll, jazz, and other new forms of music, art went into the same sort of period in the 1960's here in America - turning away from high priced individual masterpieces to the everyday mass media art known as pop art. Leading this change was Andy Warhol, an American commercial artist who drew pictures of common objects and celebrities. His unique style and bend from traditional art helped make him on
Marilyn, painted in 1964, is pop art at its best in portraying celebrities.
20th Century's Most Influential Artists
Andy Warhol: Commercializing Art
by Peter Kang
Working in New York City, where the entire area was commercial and made ready commercial art, Warhol
thrived in
making images of products for a living. His work included drawing the Campbell's soup can and later on, the famous Playboy Rabbit logo. Warhol also drew for newspapers and magazines, depicting death and mass destruction in his illustrations. Most of his works were mass produced and from there, it became "pop" art in the sense that it became mainstream to American culture.
Andy Warhol made use of a process called silk-screen printing. Here, his work was multiplied many times with slight variations. His artwork was also enlarged and simplified with different color schemes. This mechanical process was a step towards modern art becoming just as serious as classical art.
Warhol may not be as famous in later years as Picasso or Matisse, but his work will be more commonplace than any of the other great artists of this century. The world has become a center of commerce and Andy Warhol was the one who helped art become a big part of it.
if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for the author, please e-mail us
Connection
sign guestbook
view guestbook
get.a.pal
click here!