Roy Lichtenstein - the creator of the "pop art" style

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

An outstanding artist of the 20th century, he compiled comics, breathing new life into them, forcing the audience to focus on the main thing, discarding secondary details. Enough in his paintings and humor, and irony over the classical examples of painting, decorated in a modern style. Colleagues in the creative shop, photographers and critics were fascinated by the paintings that Roy Lichtenstein painted.

Childhood and youth

The future artist was born in the suburbs of the most beautiful and modern city in the world - New York. His parents were ordinary hard workers from the middle class and, as best they could, provided the child with a decent education. At first it was a public school, but, noticing the boy's talent (which, by the way, was very doubtful), they sent him to study at a prestigious art school.

Roy liked new unusual objects, and now he begins to wake up craving for beauty. So much so that after leaving school, for some time, on his own initiative, he attends classes at the Student Art League. Unfortunately, New York universities needed too much money, and Roy Lichtenstein goes to an Ohio state institution of higher learning focused onlearning the arts.

Training. First steps

Mastering the classical techniques of painting, studying its history, theoretical disciplines and a relatively new design direction, the future creator is trying to find his own direction in art, develop a style and a recognizable manner of drawing. But the first paintings are too similar to the work of the famous Picasso and Braque. The young man remains dissatisfied with himself, but not so much that it turns into a real depression. He is distracted from thoughts about the beautiful by the Second World War, which America entered in 1943. Everyone who was fit for service was sent to the front, and Roy was no exception.

When the war ended with the victory of the Allies, the artist managed to complete his education, get a master's degree and start teaching at his alma mater.

Test pen

Roy Lichtenstein, whose paintings were not very original at the very beginning of his career, held his first exhibition in 1948. Then it did not produce the expected excitement. We can say that the works went unnoticed, because they did not carry the individuality of the person who created them. They were excellent examples of cubism, but nothing more.

After a while, another exhibition appears, this time in Manhattan, New York. To receive recognition in this city meant drawing a lucky ticket. Critics notice works. The work of Roy Lichtenstein already contains elements of not only cubism, but also expressionism, a special style appears, focused on non-standardplots and selection of colors.

Unexpected changes

After a short period of time, in the mid-fifties of the last century, the artist decides to change the manner and style of his work. He no longer wants to engage in classical painting, he is attracted to mass art. Roy Lichtenstein pays attention to advertising, comics, cartoons, any memorable images. He takes them as a basis and complements them with his drawings, turning them into something new.

Such a sharp turn at first caused bewilderment and rejection among the public, which was accustomed to a certain direction in painting and did not want to be flexible. But over time, the artist Roy Lichtenstein receives the first rave reviews, the new style has fans and even connoisseurs.

On the rise

In the sixties, the time of world fame comes. Every art lover knows who Roy Lichtenstein is. All prestigious galleries want to have his paintings, exhibitions are held in Europe and America. The new style was given the name "Pop Art". And he not only caught on, but also got his fans and followers.

The end of the last century became for the artist the stage of the final formation of his direction in art, filling it with details and ideas. But as soon as his offspring leaves the cozy workshop and goes out into the big world, it ceases to be interesting for the creator. Roy Lichtenstein returns to the undeservedly forgotten expressionism and abstractionism, which is very surprisingtheir fans.

In a relatively short period of time, this outstanding artist was able to inscribe himself in history as the author of an authentic, new style. In addition, he became famous as a creator who changed the style of writing several times during his life. Roy Lichtenstein's work still serves as an example for emerging artists, and his paintings are sold at the most prestigious auctions.

Liechtenstein died at the end of the twentieth century, in 1997. He was not forgotten by fans and friends, but the cardinal changes that occurred with his creative vision of his own paintings somewhat alienated the public. The second wave of popularity came later, when followers, adherents of the new style, began to extol the name of their teacher and mentor.