Street Art & Pop Art

Art evolved dramatically during the second half of the 20th century: it went from a somewhat elitist discipline to one that was more accessible and closely related to society. Artists started creating artworks inspired by the people, for the people. When we think of popular art, two art movements quickly come to mind: Pop Art and Street Art. Both are inspired by popular culture and aspire to be reflective of our contemporary society.

Pop Art (short for “Popular Art"), was born in a post-war context, in response to the American mass culture and consumerism. Pop Artists used irony to criticise the society they lived in. They challenged the conventions of traditional fine arts by using mundane objects and pop culture icons. Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe and Campbell Soups are now iconic examples of Pop Art, and representative of the way artists borrowed imagery from their society to use them in their art. Today, many contemporary artists are carrying on the Pop Art's ambition of democratising the arts and calling out our consumerist society.

While some artists continue the tradition of Pop Art, others prefer Street Art as a means of expressing themselves and of describing the world they live in. This movement was born in the New York subway in the 1970s. Deemed illegal and vilified for a long time, Street Art has now established itself as a legitimate artistic practice. Initially regarded as mere vandalism, the work of street artists has found its place within contemporary art. Their murals are symbols of freedom of expression, and they their works have found their way into art galleries, renowned museums and collectors' homes.

From Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein for Pop Art to Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Banksy for Street Art, many famous artists have disrupted the traditional conventions of art history, whether because of their chosen subject matter or for their innovative means of creating works. Video games characters, superheroes, movie stars, mundane objects or political topics, are themes that inspire both Pop Art and Street Art. Pop artists might create cartoon paintings, using recognisable characters from comic books while street artists might choose to create murals representing today's famous musicians and actors. In this collection, Artsper offers a broad selection of artworks that will speak to all.