POPULARE CULTURE 1980-2012: ART

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.

The Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo

"Bouquet of Sunflowers", Claude Monet

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.

John Lennon; By Andy Warhol

Marylin Monroe; By Andy Warhol

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.