Pop art is a style in fine arts that ridicules the culture of a consumer society. This art direction emerged as a reaction to abstract expressionism in 1950-1960s. It is characterized by a slight irony, a mockery of what people are used to considering beautiful and artistic. Pop art actively uses stereotypes and symbols. For example, such goods as Levi's jeans and Coca cola, which are attributes of success and prosperity in the U.S. in the post-war period, and therefore often depicted in pictures and collages made in the style of pop art.
The term "pop art" was first used in an article by critic Lawrence Elloway. Subsequently, in 1966, he told everyone that he did not invest in this concept as much meaning as it began to express later. "I simply used the word together with the term "pop culture" to describe the products of the media, not as the name of works of art," he said. But anyway, the concept quickly came into use between 1955 and 1957, despite criticism of opponents of the style.
The first works in the style of pop art were created by three young artists who studied at the time at the Royal College of Art in London. They were Joe Tilson, Peter Black and Richard Smith. But the creation, which became an icon of pop art, is the collage of Richard Hamilton, created in 1956.
Pop art replaced abstract expressionism, betting on a new image, created then by the media. Thanks to pop art, new directions such as kinetic and situational art, as well as op-art
In fact, Pop Art summed up and brought to a logical conclusion the traditional types of fine arts. This opened the way for completely new kinds of artistic practices. For example, pop art prepared the way for postmodernism and conceptualism. And already in the 80s of the XX century as a result of a new type of art - neo-op art.
This direction in the fine arts conveyed the taste and mood of the time. Sexuality, youth, transience, dreaminess and even some naivety in the pictures of pop art is considered a reflection of the real American dream. In Russia, it was talked about only decades after the first appearance of pop art in America.
By the way, nowadays pop art is in fashion again, both in painting and in other arts. And good thing, there are plenty of modern masters working in this direction now.
Bright representatives of pop art are Richard Hamilton, Robert Indiana, Tom Wesselman, Andy Warhol and others.