April 07, 2023

Digesting Pop-Art: Warhol, Basquiat, Haring & Rothko

28 minutes

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CHECK OUT THE VIDEOESSAY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3rGFoAMbKs&t=35s

What is Pop-Art? Why is it significant?

What is all the rage about Andy Warhol? What separates and connects the artists of the era? What differentiates the masters and the present day modern artists?

Musings and analysis from the Pop-Masters Exhibition of New York, featuring Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring.

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I once was not a Pop Art appreciator. This podcast was inspired by my experience at a Pop Art exhibit featuring works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. Seeing their paintings in the flesh made me reevaluate everything I thought I knew about Pop Art.

I went into this exhibition knowing relatively nothing about Pop Art. But during the exhibit, I found myself ignoring the descriptions about the art. For me, I got more out of just experiencing the paintings rather than reading the explanations of them. I believed that is how art is meant to be enjoyed: as an experience. I don't think art should require 'context' for it to be understood by the viewer. Art is, in itself, a mode of communication.

DISCLAIMER: This is just my personal experience and perspective on Pop Art and the Pop Artists. This is by no means fact. In this essay, I may be found to romanticise a lot about life and the ugly aspects of it. But I am not trying to delude or ignore ugliness, but find beauty in ugliness — because to me, that is the only way to survive. To find meaning and beauty in everything, even the meaningless and terrible, is not meant to disguise anything — it is to experience the full facets of life as a human. To accept everything as part of our intrinsic force here on earth.

*I am not speaking on the artist's personalities or personal lives.*

Art referenced in this episode:

Andy Warhol, 'Cross' (1981)
Basquiat and Warhol, 'Untitled' (1984)
Basquiat, 'New York, New York' (1981)
Keith Haring, 'Untitled' (1981)
Mark Rothko, 'Untitled, Red' (1961)

*NOTE: Mark Rothko was not part of the 'Pop-Art' movement, but the Abstract Expressionism movement. However, I wanted to talk about him anyway in regards to these topics.