Blog #13: Response to Video, The Life of Andy Warhol

1. Why was Andy Warhol's work categorized as "Pop Art"? Give at least 2 examples of his work that help to support your reasons. Include images that you reference with your response.

Andy Warhol's work was categorized as "Pop Art" because it was based on popular media and culture that was going on at the time.

Warhol's "Race Riot" below depicts the ongoing struggle of the African American community during the Civil Rights movement.

Warhol's "Mao" to the rightis a portrait of the communist dictator of China, Mao Zedong. It was painted at the time of the Cold War.

2. What piece of Warhol's do you find most interesting both visually and conceptually (the idea)? Why? Include image with your response.

I find the Cambells Soup Can painting of Warhol most interesting visually and conceptually because it is simple but profound. The repetition allows for the ease of the eyes, while the mind travels to the reason behind this painting. It is just simply a part of our everyday life, but it is also beautiful. Warhol created art out of everyday things, which I find conceptually stimulating.

3. Do you feel that using photographs or images that are not created by the artist, himself/herself, is cheating? For example, Warhol used many commercial images, designs, and photographs that he did not create himself such as the Campbell soup labels and celebrity photographs like Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy. Why or why don't you feel that an artist should use found images and declare them his/her own artwork?

I do not think it's cheating because the artist who found those images is making into a creative piece of artwork themselves. The fact that they found it does not diminish its artistic qualities.