Pop art is everywhere

Weeks ago, we discussed in class Mr. Warhol’s influence in publicity. Searching on the internet I found an Andy Warhol’s quote, which I think is thought provoking and accurate for the XXl century: “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”

Not only publicity uses “icons” that we can relate in order to catch our attention. I understand "icons" as something that can be easily recognized by the majority of people. It is not restricted to specific groups.

Months ago, I saw a documentary in HBO related to all the “stars” of youtube. People doing funny thing, saying funny quotes and so on. This makes perfect connection with what Mr. Warhol stated years ago. Facebook, twitter, youtube, etc have helped certain people to reach a level of “fame” and publicity has taken advantage of this, using them to sell its products.

But not only publicity has adopted this idea of pop art. Taking an icon and using it to sell or to promote something. Icons are not only part of publicity. Pop art has also influenced other types of art, for example, comic books. Maus: A Survivor's Tale is a clear example of pop art, in my opinion.

This comic takes something very iconic such as the holocaust, Nazis, Jewish, etc, and uses them to make connection with the reader. Mr. Art Spiegelman uses several animals to reflect society, but it is obvious that he is showing history. He is using reality, embracing all public without distinction, just like Pop art does. Mr. Spiegelman is using as an engaging point our background knowledge related to all the monstrosities, which were consummated by the Nazis.

Even though, it is not entirely Pop art, because Pop art tends to use “simple” icons which are highly recognizable by people, but not that complex. Mr. Spiegelman does the opposite: he takes a very complex iconic moment in time, but represents it using animals. The message is powerful anyways.

To sum up, pop icons can be as simple as famous videos in youtube or historical massacres in history such as the holocaust. It is amazing how artists can use anything recognizable by common people and use it to express themselves or to engage us.