Pop Art: A Brief History

(Hardback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Pop Art was arguably the most important art movement of the twentieth century. By shifting attention from the exalted to the everyday, it brought Modernism to the masses and made art sexy, glamorous and fun by focusing upon Coke cans, film stars and comics. And today, in our age of selfies and social networking, its influence is visible all around us. Drawing upon brand new interviews with the most important living Pop artists, widely acclaimed art historian Alastair Sooke not only explores the great works by Warhol, Lichtenstein and their familiar contemporaries; he also reveals the artists who were crucial at the time yet are now often forgotten, including Marisol Escobar, who once attracted more publicity even than Warhol, and Rosalyn Drexler, a former professional wrestler. And Pop Art wasn't just about New York- it was invented in London and had important centres on the West Coast of America and in Europe. Sooke tells the overlooked global story of Pop, and examines its afterlife around the world today, through the work of contemporary artists such as Christian Marclay and Ryan Trecartin. Full of fascinating details about the artists' lives, and recreating the world they inhabited, this succinct yet all-encompassing new history will make you see the world of the Pop artists - our everyday world - with fresh eyes. 'Sooke is an immensely engaging character. He has none of the weighty self-regard that often afflicts art experts and critics; rather he approaches his subjects with a questioning, open, exploratory attitude.' The Times 'A brilliant account . . . so poetically precise in its evocations of the cut-outs . . . so tender in its sympathy.' Peter Conrad on Henri Matisse- A Second Life

Reviews

A clear and lively outline of the history of pop art ... full of interesting facts and anecdotes that make the book (unlike so much art criticism) ... a pleasure to read. The Sunday Times Sooke is an immensely engaging character. He has none of the weighty self-regard that often afflicts art experts and critics; rather he approaches his subjects with a questioning, open, exploratory attitude -- Sarah Vine The Times As befits its title, Alastair Sooke's introduction to pop art is a colourful little book that should appeal to aficionados and casual admirers alike ... a well-researched and authoritative introduction to the movement ... a hugely engaging read. -- Alexander Larman The Observer A great introduction to what reveals itself to be a shifting and elusive 'movement' Time Out A brilliant account ... So poetically precise in its evocations of the cut-outs ... so tender in its sympathy -- Peter Conrad on 'Henri Matisse: A Second Life'

Author Bio

Alastair Sooke is the author of the biographies Henri Matisse: A Second Life and Roy Lichtenstein: How Modern Art was Saved by Donald Duck, both published by Penguin. He is art critic for the Daily Telegraph and is a popular BBC broadcaster. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, and at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London.