A wise man once said that in order to know your future you must first understand your past. With this in mind I'll begin by taking you back to some of the key influences that inspired that most amazing of decades for artistic excess: the 1960's...
Victor Vasarely (1906-1997): Born in Hungary before moving to Paris in 1930, Vasarely is seen by many as the daddy of Op-art (the use of optical illusion the main feature in this most psychedelic of artistic mediums).
His main influence on sixties artists can be seen in his black and white photographies from the early fifties, and his Tribute to the Hexagon series in the Museum of Modern Art exhibition The Responsive Eye in 1965.
Recommended Works:
€ Tlinko
€ Vega - Nor
€ Tridem K
Alexander Calder (1898-1976): Pennsylvanian Calder was the originator of the mobile form of Kinetic Sculpture, often relying on air flow to enable movement.
He also created stabiles, his uniquely Calder-Esq. stationary structures, some immense in both size and impact. Also a wonderful painter, his work's fingerprints are all over the biggest and best sixties' artistic creations - a true visionary.
Recommended Works:
€ The Four Elements
€ Floating Clouds
€ Composition III
Jasper Johns (b 1930): Painter and Printmaker extraordinaire, the counter-culture owes a big debt to American Jasper Johns, none more so than the Pop Art movement. Often described as Neo-Dadist as opposed to Pop Art, Johns' sheer variety of style and statement quite literally blow the mind.
Recommended Works:
€ Flag
€ Map
€ Wallpaper U.S. Flag
The Pop Art superstars brought to you by CrispyZebra.com:
Andy Warhol (1928-1987): Born in Pittsburgh, Warhol was the main man in the visual art movement, more commonly known as pop art. His original choice of career was as a commercial artist, an area that the young Warhol truly excelled. This was clearly not enough for the outspoken artist, as he developed his passion into a hugely successful career.
Painting, printmaking, silk screening, hand drawing, film, sculpture and music; nothing was off-limits for Warhol, and his sheer range of artistic talents makes him one of the most sought-after artists for modern day collectors.
The most expensive Andy Warhol to date? - A mere $100m for the 1963 canvas €Eight Elvises'.
Following an attempt on his life by Valerie Solanas at his workplace, The Factory in New York - Warhol only just surviving the shooting following extensive open-heart surgery - his work rate declined dramatically. But the die had been cast, and the legend that is Andy Warhol will long outlive our brief stay on the planet.
Recommended works:
€ 300 SL Coupe
€ Triple Elvis
€ Edie Sedgwick
€ Campbell's Tomato Soup
Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997): parody was king in Lichtenstein's work: heavily influenced by the consumerist society that surrounded his Manhattan studio. His instantly-recognizable €comic-book' style easily found its way into the American psyche; both daring and provocative.
Many of his works address power and destruction, most notably Whaam! (1963) doubtless influenced by his three-year stint in the army during WWII, as well a keen appreciation of Jack Kirby and American comic books.
Lichtenstein's moved away from the comic book panel style in 1965 to focus on his modern paintings series: heavily influenced by the art deco movement before moving onto major commissions in the 1970's. His last commission was the creation of the DreamWorks Records Logo: a seemingly fitting epitaph for such a giant of consumerist pop giant.
His death in 1997 left both a rich legacy and a void that can never truly be filled again.
Recommended works:
€ Whaam!
€ Crying Girl
€ Peace through Chemistry
Stan Lee (b 1922): A native New Yorker, Stanley Martin Lieber may not be regarded as an artist per se, however his contribution to the world that we know through artistic expression is as big, if not bigger, than it has ever been previously.
Every new Marvel movie is welcomed by a hungry mix of old and young alike - a pure escapism that has made his name synonymous with fun.
Ably assisted by a string of truly exceptional artists (most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko), Lee helped to create a Marvel Universe that engrossed the global baby boomer generation, in turn making huge strides in political and social advances.
Influenced by the swashbuckling escapades of Hollywood star Errol Flynn, Lee began his education as an assistant at Timely Comics in New York in 1939 - it was a wise decision. From that point on, characters such as Spider Man, Daredevil, Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Thor and the X-Men have become household staples in any westernized home.
But it was his pioneering work in the 1960's that truly opened the doors for a plethora of young, ambitious artists to walk through - his influence on modern culture cannot be over-exaggerated.
Recommended works:
€ Thor: Tales of Asgard
€ Spider-Man: With Great Power...
€ Wolverine: Origin, and a thousand more
David Hockney (b 1937): one of the most influential British artists of the 20th Century, Hockney's work continues to divide critics and fans to this day. His uniquely-English take on a wide range of themes.
Suffering from a rare neurological condition, Synesthesia, where letters and numbers are perceived as vibrantly colored, Hockney's world view has always been at odds with that of the more traditional artistic styles, helping to make his 1960's work appear all the more €pop art' in style.
His meeting in 1963 with Andy Warhol and subsequent move to Los Angeles in the mid-60's led to even more provocative pieces, most notably Peter Getting out of Nick's Pool in 1967.
Hockney is also an accomplished stage designer, most notably for the Royal Court Theatre, La Scala and the Metrpolitan Opera in New York City.
Recommended works:
€ Mullholland Drive
€ We two boys together clinging
€ Corbusier Chair and Rug
€ A Bigger Grand Canyon
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