Richard Hamilton was an English artist known as the ‘daddy of Pop Art’. Creating one of the first widely recognised pieces of Pop Art, Just What is it That Makes Today’s Homes so Appealing? (1956). A collage made from all the mod cons and must haves of the time.
He was reflecting the influx of consumerism that had come to Britain from the States, how the country was changing.
His works were very accurate at documenting the economic, social and political status of the times they were created in. He also mangages to show his sense of humour through his work and his Britishness shines through, differentiating him from the American Pop Artists, either with his dry humour or his british grittiness.
Portrait of Hugh Gaskil As A Famous Monster of Filmland (1964) is oil and collage on photograph. This is one of his more political works, turning a politician of the 1960s into a grotesque creation. Hamilton himself was very politically active, taking part in political rally’s and protests, even being arrested for his involvement.
This piece reflects Hamilton’s disagreement and dissatisfaction at Labour and inparticular Gaskil’s policies.
Just What is it That Makes Today’s Homes so Appealing? (1992) is an updated version of his 1956 work. This piece was showing how much or how little the world had changed since the original was made, with updated technolgy and the changing role of the man and woman in the home. In this version the woman is strong while the man is slumped over the computer not showing the physical prowess he had in the 1950s.
Hamilton’s work interested me so much as I find his techniques, processes and source material influential to those which I like to use. I love how his collages have come to represent certain eras of time so accurately and feel S though they can be read like a text book.
His source material of contemporary fashions, desires and stereotypes and also in much of his work, a huge celebrity influence really appeals to me. I feel a similarity to my own work in technique and source material while also being a million miles apart from each other.
Swingeing London 67 f
