20th Century Art: Roy Lichtenstein, Mid Century Pop Artist

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Pop Art. Is it simply entertainment and nothing too intellectually strenuous and worthy of much attention? This is not a question easily answered unless one is so self-assured and sanctimonious that no other answer exists, or at least is worthy of consideration. Ironically, this question was posed by the Pop Artists themselves. The notion of questioning mass-produced objects and poking fun at slavishly drooling over celebrities is part of the Pop Art experience. Telling the reader whether Pop Art is entertainment or fine art becomes rather irrelevant when one considers the nature of all art. Such a large question deserves volumes more than this small diatribe. Possibly the greatest satisfaction comes from asking the question rather than answering. Could this be the real motive of Pop Art, nothing more, nothing less?

If the reader would like a biography of Roy Lichtenstein, click the link embedded in his name. This missive is not a biography, but a look at Lichtenstein by me, without much chewing over the effects of his life influences.

Lichtenstein was producing Pop Art along with Warhol and James Rosenquist. Much like Warhol, Lichtenstein became a picture factory, selling works at huge prices in amazing numbers. His income must have swelled to amazing heights. This mirrors the entire subject of Pop Art. Lichtenstein strips away the high art of the future and of the past and leaves us with pictures that people wish to see and buy. Will people want to see this art in the future? It is hard to say. Yet this is not a heady art, waiting for a guru to come along and provide profound truths about existence and future progress of civilizations. Lichtenstein seeks to draw your eye and attention, the rest is up to you. He doesn’t have the constitution or time to do anything else.

You might say, “What is the difference between Lichtenstein’s comic book images and actual comic book images? Why is his any different?” Quit asking questions. Obviously, Lichtenstein’s pictures are composed with different media. Without doubt, his pictures are larger. Do you like looking at them? Do they entertain you? Do they match your interior design? Do you like the idea that they were produced by Lichtenstein? If you answered any of these questions, then count yourself lucky and don’t bother yourself further. Then listen to me and don’t ask any more logical questions or judge your competency or intellectual abilities, based on your notions of high or fine art. Then, and only then, will you understand Pop Art and, possibly the work of Roy Lichtenstein.