1. Playing with Culture and Colour: Pop Art, Op Art, & Colour Field

2. Pop Art 1960’s – new art movement based on everyday objects and people from popular culture. Named “Pop art” because the subject was based on popular items such as Coke bottles, beer and soup cans. Impersonal attitude towards the work and subject – shows frustration with the art establishment. Directly contrasts Abstract Expressionism with recognizable subject matter and no emotional content. Incorporates wit, humour and satire. The average viewer much preferred Pop Art to abstraction so it soon became in demand.

3. 23. Andy Warhol. Elvis I & II. (1963) Silkscreen ink and spray paint on linen.

5. 24. Roy Lichtenstein. Whamm! (1963) Oil on canvas.

7. 25. Claes Oldenburg. Shoestring Potatoes Spilling from a Bag. (1966) Mixed Media.

8. Other Pop artists: Jasper Johns…

9. Robert Rauschenberg…

10. Op Art Op (“Optical”) Art uses scientific principles to create the sensation of movement by tricking the viewer’s eye. There are no focal points or centres of interest in optical art. Sometimes movement is created through the use of colour and sometimes shapes. Carefully calculated and manipulated.

11. 26. Bridget Riley. Metamorphosis. (1964) Acrylic emulsion on hardboard.

12. Bridget Riley, in the ’60s and today…

13. Victor Vasarely, another well known Optical artist…

14. Colour Field Colour Field developed during the 60’s and 70’s - owes much to Mark Rothko. Relies solely on flat fields of colour – impression is cool and serene. Some colour field painting is very loose (eg. Rothko, Frankenthaler, Louis) Some colour field painting is called “hard edge” (eg. Albers, Bush, Stella) Became important aspects of the interior environment as murals in buildings. Draw viewer into active participation with the work – goal: to create a total environment.

15. 27. Jack Bush. Zig-zag. (1967) Acrylic on canvas. (Canadian)

16. 28. Frank Stella. Protractor Variation. (1969) Fluorescent alkyd on canvas.

17. Other examples of Colour Field: Rothko & Frankenthaler…