In 2014, from June the 10th to September the 14th, at the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, level 0, an exhibition called Pop art myths took place. Though it is of course imposible to get to see it at the center of Madrid nowaday, you can see the entire exhibition here, and you should give it a look for they did quite a great job putting it at everyone's disposition.
As said in the title, this was a three month pop art exhibition regrouping a group show of several artists, some well known such as Andy Warhol or Roy lichtenstein, and some that I discovered through it, like Peter Blake or Mimmo Rotella. In one of there digital resources, you get through the many rooms of the exhibition, each gathering art pieces corresponding to a peculiar theme: Landscapes-interiors-still lives; Portraits; Myths; Emblems; Collage-advertising-comics; Urban Eroticism; History painting, and finally art about art.
Even though this exhibition has quite a large pannel of art pieces, that conveys quite a feeling of diversity, as someone who is quite fond of graphic art, made out of pencil and paint, the ones I found the most interesting where in the History section, especially "group hug" (counter publicity), of Juan Genovés, "The living room", of Equipo Cronica, and the famous remake of Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" by Andy Warhol. These three, as impressive as they look, are also revealing the heteroclicity of atmosphere an identical section can contain, for the color pannel they are showing is way too different to create any other link than the historical criterial, except for some similiraties in the creative process. Indeed, in addition to Wharol's remake of Botticelli's paint, the "equipo cronica"s work is based on Velazquez painting's "Las Meninas".
Despite being fond of more classical forms of art, I have to salute the amazing works that were done by pretty much every artists of the exhibition to innovate in their art works, concerning pasting as well as re used comic characters, for it makes every piece surprising in its own way, wether it is humorous, simple or a bit grotesque. Morover, it is worth mentioning that if Andy Wharhol and Lichtenstein are probably the most well known of the pop art movement, this diversity of placement isn't focusing on their art works, and this makes the other less known artists have their place in the show.
Personally, I can't deny that as a total newbie in the pop art culture, I thought that I would not be able to get right into the exhibition, for it can look a bit weird at first time, but I was quite wrong for it is a very accessible form of art, sometime more explicit than more formal ones. Besides, if some of you are not quite fond of exhibitions and are afraid of spending too much time getting through this one, don't worry for it has quite a little number of art pieces for an exhibition, and the truth is you quickly made it through, even a bit too quick as far as I am concerned. Of course, as it is an exhibition made to present the pop art myth, to give samples in order to make it discovered by more people, this is not really abnormal, but some more pieces could have served it well.
Now that we have seen a bit of the general informations about this exhibition, let's focus on one peculiar piece, of which I talked already which is "the living room" of equipo cronica. In this painting, we are placed in a living room, very bright looking, with a squared floor on which stands a little girl dressed in grey, surrounded by what seems to be servants. At her feet are a ball, a dog and a rubber ring looking as a duck. As a third year student in Highschool, I have some insight into this remake of Diego Velazquez's famous painting, mostly because the change of colour stricked me by the major changes it brought to the atmosphere of the all painting.
Indeed, the bright and shiny feel expressed by this remake contrasts with the very sober look
La salita
of Velazquez's paint, made as if their was no light in the scene. the level of details of nthe scene is also way superior in Velazquez's paint, and this is simply the result of the different times the paintings were made. If Velazquez is representing the XVIIth century through his representation of the Royal family, the remake of Equipo cronica seem to represent the myth of the American way
Even though this exhibition has quite a large pannel of art pieces, that conveys quite a feeling of diversity, as someone who is quite fond of graphic art, made out of pencil and paint, the ones I found the most interesting where in the History section, especially "group hug" (counter publicity), of Juan Genovés, "The living room", of Equipo Cronica, and the famous remake of Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" by Andy Warhol. These three, as impressive as they look, are also revealing the heteroclicity of atmosphere an identical section can contain, for the color pannel they are showing is way too different to create any other link than the historical criterial, except for some similiraties in the creative process. Indeed, in addition to Wharol's remake of Botticelli's paint, the "equipo cronica"s work is based on Velazquez painting's "Las Meninas".
Despite being fond of more classical forms of art, I have to salute the amazing works that were done by pretty much every artists of the exhibition to innovate in their art works, concerning pasting as well as re used comic characters, for it makes every piece surprising in its own way, wether it is humorous, simple or a bit grotesque. Morover, it is worth mentioning that if Andy Wharhol and Lichtenstein are probably the most well known of the pop art movement, this diversity of placement isn't focusing on their art works, and this makes the other less known artists have their place in the show.
Personally, I can't deny that as a total newbie in the pop art culture, I thought that I would not be able to get right into the exhibition, for it can look a bit weird at first time, but I was quite wrong for it is a very accessible form of art, sometime more explicit than more formal ones. Besides, if some of you are not quite fond of exhibitions and are afraid of spending too much time getting through this one, don't worry for it has quite a little number of art pieces for an exhibition, and the truth is you quickly made it through, even a bit too quick as far as I am concerned. Of course, as it is an exhibition made to present the pop art myth, to give samples in order to make it discovered by more people, this is not really abnormal, but some more pieces could have served it well.
Now that we have seen a bit of the general informations about this exhibition, let's focus on one peculiar piece, of which I talked already which is "the living room" of equipo cronica. In this painting, we are placed in a living room, very bright looking, with a squared floor on which stands a little girl dressed in grey, surrounded by what seems to be servants. At her feet are a ball, a dog and a rubber ring looking as a duck. As a third year student in Highschool, I have some insight into this remake of Diego Velazquez's famous painting, mostly because the change of colour stricked me by the major changes it brought to the atmosphere of the all painting.Indeed, the bright and shiny feel expressed by this remake contrasts with the very sober look
La salita
- 1970
- Acrylic on linen
200 x 200 cm
of Velazquez's paint, made as if their was no light in the scene. the level of details of nthe scene is also way superior in Velazquez's paint, and this is simply the result of the different times the paintings were made. If Velazquez is representing the XVIIth century through his representation of the Royal family, the remake of Equipo cronica seem to represent the myth of the American way
of life during the 50s, which explains the bright atmosphere and the apparent signs of prosperity, emphasized by the traditional clothes and the fact that it is a royal family represented. The dog and the child toys are adding to this feel of modern familiy, eventhough the character's placement is the same as in Velazquez's paint, with the paintor himself standing next to the familiy. On top of that, if the level of detail is lower while looking at the nuances, it is not less
impressive by the precision of the composition.
Las Meninas
1656
oil on linen
318 x 276 cm
Diego Velazquez
With this painting, we basically see the essence of Pop Art, which is to use the ancient to innovate, and the change of time we see in those is perfectly illustrating this aspect of the pop art myth, which purpose is in my opinion to surprise people. I would add that this is not an art that can really die, for it will innovate and create new forms of Art as long as artists will keep creating in other arts movements. Pop art might be a constant modern art.
Well, this is it, I can only advice you once again to go check this exhibition online, as I don't think it will be another time in Madrid. This said, as always don't hesitate to leave comments, and bye guys!
The Mad Hatter
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