Pop to Popism Media Release
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ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES 1 NOVEMBER 2014 – 1 MARCH 2015 Pop art is: Popular ... Transient ... Expendable ... Low cost Mass produced Young ... Witty Sexy Gimmicky Glamorous Big business This is just a beginning. Richard Hamilton 1957 ANDY WARHOL Triple Elvis 1963 (detail) Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond Gift of Sydney and Frances Lewis © Andy Warhol Foundation/ARS, New York. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney. Photo: Katherine Wetzel Pop art is: Popular ... Transient ... Expendable ... Low cost Mass produced Young ... Witty Sexy Gimmicky Glamorous Big business This is just a beginning. Richard Hamilton 1957 THIS IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF POP ART TO BE SEEN IN AUSTRALIA AND REFLECTS THE DECISIVE ROLE PLAYED BY POP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTEMPORARY ART. Michael Brand Director, Art Gallery of NSW Roy Lichtenstein in 1964 with Look Mickey 1961 in his studio at 36 West 26th Street, New York. Photo: Ken Heyman © Ken Heyman/Woodfin Camp & Associates POP TO POPISM IS: a major event in Australia’s art calendar this summer and exclusive Iconic artworks include Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis 1963, Roy to Sydney. Featuring 200 works by over 70 of pop’s greatest Lichtenstein’s first ever comic-style painting Look Mickey 1961, artists, borrowed from around the world, it is one of the most David Hockney’s Portrait of an artist 1972, Robert Indiana’s ambitious exhibitions curated by the Art Gallery of New South Love cross 1968, Howard Arkley’s Triple fronted 1987 and Brett Wales. Pop to popism is part of Sydney International Art Series Whiteley’s 22 metre-long The American dream 1968–69. which brings the world’s most outstanding exhibitions to Australia. Works have been borrowed from 35 major international institutions Spanning three decades from the mid 1950s to the 1980s, Pop to and private collections including: Tate • Victoria and Albert Museum popism traces the origins of pop art, its heady high period, and its • Centre Pompidou • National Gallery of Art, Washington • Museum enduring legacy both in Australia and abroad. For the first time, of Modern Art, New York • Andy Warhol Museum • Robert Australian pop artists are presented alongside their international Rauschenberg Foundation • Menil Collection • National Gallery of peers from America, Britain and Europe, bringing critical attention Australia • Auckland Art Gallery • JW Power Collection. to the development and reception of Australian art within the broader pop art narrative. MARTIN SHARP & TIM LEWIS Still life 1973 National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 1973 © Estate of Martin Sharp. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney © Tim Lewis ‘Two and a half decades ‘This exhibition grew from after the event, pop art a desire to see Australian POP has re-emerged as the artists exhibited in a survey most influential movement of international pop.’ in the contemporary ART Wayne Tunnicliffe, curator art world.’ Pop to popism IS: Paul Taylor, 1989 art that brought the subjects, OZ POP IS: techniques and styles of popular POPISM IS: art produced by Australian artists and consumer culture into the during the 1960s and early 1970s art produced in the late 1970s and realm of ‘high’ art. Initially made that drew inspiration from popular 1980s by a generation of younger in Britain and America, in the 1960s and consumer culture at home and artists who re-worked pop art’s pop art became an international abroad. For the first time, Pop to trademark tactics to reflect their phenomenon and remains one popism examines the breadth and rapidly evolving, media-saturated of the most recognisable styles development of Australian pop art world. Popism is the title of Andy in art today. alongside the work of pop’s leading Warhol’s 1980 memoir of the 1960s international artists, which was known, and of the influential exhibition curated Richard Hamilton discussed and exhibited in Australia by Australian art historian and critic Andy Warhol during the period. Roy Lichtenstein Paul Taylor at the National Gallery Claes Oldenburg of Victoria in 1982. Vivienne Binns David Hockney Mike Brown Brett Whiteley Cindy Sherman Richard Larter Martin Sharp Richard Prince Peter Powditch Jeff Koons Gareth Sansom Keith Haring Martin Sharp Juan Davila Brett Whiteley Howard Arkley Jenny Watson Maria Kozic ALLEN JONES POP POPISM ‘It would be very glamorous ‘I think artists are always ‘I am for a Kool-art, to be reincarnated as a investigating how to have 7-UP art, Pepsi-art, great big ring on Liz Taylor’s an economic, political Sunshine art, finger.’ platform.’ 39 cents art …’ Andy Warhol Jeff Koons Claes Oldenburg, 1961 ‘If everyone demanded ANDY WARHOL POP’S peace instead of another television set, then there’d POP’S PEOPLE be peace.’ PRODUCTS ARE: John Lennon ARE: the most glamorous and infamous the consumer goods of department of the world’s celebrities. In the 1960s, stores and grocery aisles. With the fans fainted over Marilyn Monroe, advent of television, postwar Elvis Presley and the Beatles, and POP’S consumerism and the mad men of pop artists were quick to capture and POLITICS Madison Avenue, pop artists took comment on the widespread cult of as their subject the world around celebrity. Pop artists themselves ARE: them: mass-produced objects of took on celebrity personas with Warhol the tumultuous and revolutionary the everyday. They also borrowed famously claiming that everyone could times of the 1960s and 70s. With techniques from the trade, quoting be famous for 15 minutes. its loud billboard-like effects, from advertising’s saturated colours mass-produced techniques and and slick surfaces, and the processes Marilyn Monroe relationship to rock music and of mass reproduction. But was this Elvis Presley subculture, pop art was the perfect a celebration of consumer culture John Wayne symbol for a younger generation or a critique of the darker side PEOPLE Elizabeth Taylor Jackie Kennedy that fought for equality and fuelled of desire? Jimi Hendrix a ‘cultural revolution’. Many pop Coca-Cola bottles Bob Dylan artists, like Oldenburg, participated electric fans Twiggy in these protests and, though cars Mickey Mouse typically veiled in irony, included lipstick Superman sharp political digs in their art. soup cans PRODUCTS Vietnam war Kool-Aid civil rights movement high-heeled shoes Kennedy’s assassination magazines the space race living room furniture gay liberation movement vacuum cleaners feminist movement POLITICS sexual revolution ‘Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.’ Marilyn Monroe ‘... women become invisible in their 40s, and then reappear only as grande dames. So you are erased, and then all of a sudden they discover that you were walking the earth the whole time.’ Martha Rosler POP’S WOMEN ARE: now being recognised. Female pop artists contributed substantially to this male-dominant movement, but have been largely left out of art historical accounts. Pop to popism includes a number of these female artists and brings attention to how they used pop-art subjects like celebrities, the consumer lifestyle and the gendered POP-UP body, often to explore feminist themes. PLAY CAFE Rosalyn Drexler Marisol WITH POP Martha Rosler DUANE HANSON Evelyne Axell Vivienne Binns Niki de Saint Phalle POP Cindy Sherman Maria Kozic FILMS Bridgid McLean POP Jenny Watson WOMEN clockwise from left: ‘What an artist is trying ‘Some movies can ‘My favourite Andy Warhol to do for people is be the equivalent simultaneous action Silver Liz [Studio type] 1963 The Eyles Family Collection bring them closer to of mantras.’ is talking while eating.’ © Andy Warhol Foundation/ARS, New York. something, because Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney Kenneth Anger, 1976 Andy Warhol of course art is about Allen Jones Secretary 1972 sharing.’ State Art Collection, Art Gallery of POP POP IN Western Australia, purchased 1973 David Hockney © Allen Jones CINEMA: & EAT: Immerse yourself in the cinematic Be one of the first to enjoy our new Duane Hanson Woman with a laundry basket 1974 PARTICIPATE world of pop artists, pop’s history gallery restaurant and café run by Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide IN POP: and pop’s celebrities. The extensive renowned chef Matt Moran and his © Duane Hanson/VAGA. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney Pop to popism film series features team. If Warhol’s soup cans and Explore the brash art and radical experimental films made by pop Wesselmann’s giant fruits make you Andy Warhol ideas in Pop to popism by joining Heinz Tomato Ketchup box 1964 artists, films that depict the hungry, refuel with a coffee and a in on some of our exciting programs The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. revolutionary times of the 1960s bite to eat in our POPISM pop-up Founding Collection, Contribution for visitors of all ages. Pop talks bring and 70s and the movies starring café within the exhibition. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the to life the stories behind key iconic Visual Arts Inc pop art’s iconic faces from Marilyn paintings and reveal fascinating © Andy Warhol Foundation/ARS, New York. Monroe to Mickey Mouse. Film played Cafés & restaurant: Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney Australian connections, while Art a vital role in pop art, both as a source Open every day After Hours delves into the gritty of inspiration and, on occasion, a & dinner Wednesday nights and glamorous world of pop culture. medium with which to experiment. A major highlight is the dedicated kids zone in the exhibition where A hard day’s night (1964) young ones can touch, play and create The band concert (1935) POP using new interactive and fun art- Don’t look back (1967) making activities. Discover the social Alphaville (1965) SHOP: histories of pop’s era in an interactive 2001: A space odyssey (1968) Dash into the Pop Shop! Bursting digital documentary and engage your Malcolm X (1992) with vibrant and playful fashion, students through a wealth of school Full metal jacket (1987) quirky designer homewares and programs and resources.