Own a little Pop Art history. Pop Art, perhaps the most
all American art movement had it’s beginnings in England.
The Independent Group formed from artists, critic and architects in 1952 had used the term Pop art to describe art created by and for the mass media. In 1955 The exhibition Man Machine Motion designed and organized by artist Richard Hamilton was born from these meetings. Hamilton’s fascination with speed and travel inspired Man, Machine and Motion it was shown at the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle and the ICA, London. The environment was created using greatly enlarged photographs and illustration of space travel, marine exploration, cars, aircraft, and gentler forms of motion such as cycling and gymnastics. The images were printed onto Formica panels and four of the original panels will be auctioned this weekend by Mitchells Fine Art Auctioneers of Cockermouth. Richard Hamilton was the reason that my husband chose Newcastle University for his fine art degree. Hamilton was his house master there. This week sees the first anniversary of Hamilton's death aged 89.
In a letter to Peter and Alison Smithson in 1957 Hamilton describes pop art as
Popular (designed for a mass audience), Transient (short-term solution), Expendable (easily-forgotten), Low cost, Mass produced, Young (aimed at youth), Witty, Sexy, Gimmicky, Glamorous, Big Business.
The National Gallery, London hosts Richard Hamilton The Late Works from this October to March 2013
Helen
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