Pop Culture Art
1980's- Present
By: Sarah Speich
There are many different aspects of art. Depending on whom
you talk to, art can be considered anything from paintings, sculptures, opera,
architecture, fashion, so on and so forth. If you look up art in the
dictionary, there are many definitions. The definition I thought most suitable
for this posting is “the conscious
use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic
objects; also: works so produced” (“art”, 2012). For this post we will
be discussing icons within the fine arts realm.
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| The Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo |
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| "Bouquet of Sunflowers", Claude Monet |
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| The Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci |
When I think of
fine artists such as painters, and sculptors during the 1980’s to present, no
one artist stands out. During the late 1400’s- early 1500’s artists such as
Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni were
creating masterpieces that would withstand the test of time. During the 1800’s
early 1900’s Oscar-Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh became extremely prominent
their paintings. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Monett, Van Gogh, were all fine arts
icons that artists today strive to emulate. Over the past three decades,
however, everyone and anyone is seems to be an “artist”. Anyone who picks up a
paintbrush, piece of clay, or piece of junk for that matter, and makes it into
something, is considered an artist. Art in the 1980’s was truly in and of
itself. Today, almost anyone can tell whether a piece of art was created in the
80’s. During the 1980’s computer/graphic technology was becoming popular; and therefore
most artists followed that formula for paintings. Works of art were edgy,
graphic-like; and many were of architecture or buildings. When I think of a
1980’s fine arts icon, I think of Andy Warhol. Warhol was famous for “pop art”
and many of his paintings were of celebrities. He drew, he painted, he
photographed, he sculpted; Warhol did dabbled in just about every aspect of
art. Although he had made a name for himself before the 1980’s, Warhol created
works of art using Amiga computers. Warhol died in 1987. Andy Warhol’s
masterpieces can be viewed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Andy Warhol
Museum.
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| John Lennon; By Andy Warhol |
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| Marylin Monroe; By Andy Warhol |
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| Andy Warhol |
Another famous pop art icon during the 80’s and 90’s was Roy
Lichtenstein, and Ohio State University graduate. Although Lichtenstein as also
producing works of art well before this time period, he was still very relevant
during the 1990’s. Lichtenstein was famous and internationally known for his
paintings, sculptures, and screen-prints. In 1984, Lichtenstein created a sculpture,
which is located at the Port Columbus International Airport. The sculpture is called “Brushstrokes in
Flight”. It was originally placed outside of the airport, but where it wasn’t
really noticed. In 1998, it was moved inside where it could be better viewed.
It is located right in front of the security checkpoint in concourse B. Most of
us Ohioans who have visited the airport have probably walked by this sculpture quite
a few times without even knowing who created it.
As we reached the millennium it seemed as if the fine arts community was
missing a true icon. Although there are many locally, even nationally known
artists today, their names are not and may never be as well known as da Vinci,
Michelangelo, etc. It makes you wonder who will be the next artists, whose name
will live on for centuries.
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| "Varoom!", Roy Lichtenstein |
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| "Brushstrokes in Flight", Roy Lichtenstein |
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| Roy Lichtenstein |
References
Art. 2012. In Merriam-Webster.com.
Brushstrokes
in flight - port columbus international airport –
columbus, oh. (May, 28 2007). Retrieved from
okes_in_Flight_Port_Columbus_International_Airport_Colu
mbus_OH
Rosenburg,
J. (2012). Andy warhol. Retrieved from
http://history1900s.about.com/od/artists/p/warhol.htm
Overall throughout history many objects, people and events have changed the way people act and feel. Popular culture is much more than many think, it is not just made up of celebrities and famous people. Popular culture is more of a combination of everyday events and items that create an environment that we all live in. 
