Consumerism in Mid-Modern Pop Art: Is It Love or Critique?
Consumer Culture
In the mid-20th century, art was directly impacted by commercialism and consumer culture. Art became accessible to almost anyone in the form of creation or consumption due to mass production. Companies used it to advertise and convince people that they needed more. Since the beginning of human life, we have survived just off the necessities. As time passed and technologies developed, we started to spend time creating and found ourselves wanting more. By the 20th century, advancements in all aspects of the world and the rise of credit/installment plans brought forth the age of consumerism. With economic prosperity and mass production, people worldwide started to purchase products beyond the necessities. Fueled by our desire to consume, our wants became our needs. (Higgs)
Andy Warhol
Background and Influences
Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was a multimedia artist known as one of the leading artists in the Pop Art movement. In the 1950s, he started his career in art as a commercial artist, creating illustrations for various companies to advertise. After he gained popularity in the 1960s through his illustrative and painted work, Warhol started to use silkscreen to mass-produce his art and reach a wider audience. Warhol drew inspiration from his familiarity with commercialism and advertisements in the mid-20th century. He used his understanding of consumer appeal to create eye-catching imagery of everyday items and celebrities. Warhol was in the very depths of the United States' new lifestyle. He knew what sold, was aware of what the consumer wanted, and that products needed to be quickly created. Warhol's methods and his artwork emphasized and contributed to consumer culture. ("Andy Warhol")
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| Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) by Andy Warhol |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962, Acrylic with metallic enamel paint on canvas, individual canvas 50.8 x 40.6 cm current installation 246.4 x 414 cmCurrently located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York, USA
I appreciate Warhol's dedication to creating that advertisement and shopping-like effect. I feel like it is spot on. We are constantly being fed the idea of needing to buy the next thing, whether it is through bold messages or subtle convincing of the subconscious mind. Even for something as trivial as a soup can. If I had to pick a soup from this work, I would go for the classic: tomato soup.
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| Green Coca-Cola Bottles (1962) by Andy Warhol |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
Green Coca-Cola Bottles, 1962, Acrylic, screenprint and graphite pencil on canvas, 210.2 x 145.1 cm
Created in New York City, New York, USA
Currently located at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, New York, USA
In this work, Warhol displays a shared, everyday experience between social classes: a consumable product. Coca-Cola quickly became a household name around the world during the 20th century. It became a symbol of the American way of life and democracy. It united everyone regardless of background, status, or class. Warhol depicted Coca-Cola bottles in various pieces, but Green Coca-Cola Bottles emphasizes consumer culture and the individual identity concerning purchases. The artwork is composed of 112 empty, green glass Coca-Cola bottles, varying in shades of green. Underneath the sixteen-by-seven rows sits the iconic red Coca-Cola logo.
The repetitive lines of empty, green bottles represent the production and consumption of Coca-Cola and consumer products. Due to silkscreen printing, the lines and shades of green vary in intensity, letting the viewer observe each bottle without being overwhelmed by the quantity. The red and green colors in the image are a realistic reflection of the actual product, creating a sense of familiarity with the viewer. It is currently not on view, but I think it would look lovely in an exhibit showcasing mid-20th century life and other works by Warhol.
Personal Relation
I think nearly every one of us has had Coca-Cola at some point in our lives. While I am not a frequent buyer of the brand, I do feel a sense of anemoia when I see the classic bottles. There is a local vintage store that I often peruse that has a seemingly infinite supply of these bottles. When I encounter American-style restaurants here in the UK, there are common motifs presented, and Coca-Cola is one of those. There is something just so American about the brand.
Richard Hamilton
Background and Influences
Richard Hamilton (1922-2011) was a British artist and the founder of Pop art. Hamilton had a rocky start in the art world, being in and out of art classes and military service due to World War II. Hamilton was a member of the Independent Group, formed by a group of artists in the 1950s that would discuss new art that was viewed as inadequate by the Royal Academy. England was not seeing the same level of economic prosperity as its neighbor across the pond, but the rise of consumer culture was well on its way. Hamilton's side of the world was still recovering from the effects of WWII, so he consumed American media and advertisements to experience the cultural change occurring in the United States. After the debut of Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?, Hamilton outlined the aspects of Pop art: popular, expendable, mass produced, and glamorous. Influenced by consumerism, he created art with plastics and synthetic materials, which he would learn to manipulate to ensure an everlasting quality. (Filipowska)
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| Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? (1956) by Richard Hamilton |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?, 1956, collage, 26 x 24.8 cm
Likely created in London, England
Currently located at Kunsthalle Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
This collage by Hamilton was created for the catalogue, This is Tomorrow, as a critique of consumer culture influence in post-war England. Hamilton uses cutouts from American magazines, advertisements, and media to decorate a domestic interior. The eyes can't rest when viewing this work. They are drawn to each item, just as advertisers and Hamilton intended. In the center, a muscular man poses, holding a lollipop. He is accompanied by a stretched-out model on the couch. Both represent a new standard created by companies to sell their products. Cutouts of popular logos and consumer products decorate and fill the room. The collage captures the rise of consumerism during the mid-20th century and the influence of a materialistic society.
Hamilton uses space and form to create a unique perspective of the room. We are placed inside it, crowded by some of the hottest products in the 1950s. While this room is set as a living space, it has the characteristics of a showroom, determined to convince you to buy every item. The objects create various lines within the piece, creating a chaotic and overwhelming atmosphere. I would surround this piece with other collages, interior design images from the mid-20th century, and the original media from Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?. It would be neat to see where each piece is sourced from.
Personal Relation
This collage captures the revolutionary advancements in domestic household products and the pressure to have the newest item, fresh off the assembly line. I feel like I am trying to be convinced that more is best. Personally, I try to buy as little as possible and make do with what I have. However, I still find myself feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I own. Despite the collage's busyness, I enjoy Hamilton's creativity and how he configures the space.
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| $he (1958-1961) by Richard Hamilton |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
$he, 1958-1961, Oil paint, cellulose nitrate paint, paper and plastic on wood, 122 × 81 cm
Likely created in London, England
Currently located at Tate Britain, London, United Kingdom
$he depicts an ambiguous silhouette of a woman, with a toaster and an open fridge. The new appliances of the 20th century. Hamilton uses this painting to critique the role of women in consumer culture. New appliances were often marketed towards women to help with domestic responsibilities. Currently, the painting is on exhibition alongside other Hamilton and Marcel Duchamp works, exploring the relationship between the two artists. ("Marcel Duchamp and Richard Hamilton")
Hamilton uses mechanical and organic lines to contrast the differences in man-made products and human nature. The appliances are stiff and solid, while the curves of the silhouette emphasize the naturalness and movement of humans. Both subjects are vaguely defined, but there is a stronger appearance in the woman compared to her mechanical counterparts. The space in the painting is shallow and confining, mimicking the pressure of gender roles and consumer culture during the mid-20th century.
Personal Relation
I do not strongly relate to this painting, but I have seen how products are advertised differently based on the audience. We, as consumers, have control over what we partake in. I do appreciate Hamilton's creativity, however I probably would not own a copy of this piece.
Claes Oldenburg
Background and Influences
Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022) was a Swedish-American artist and sculptor known for his public art depictions of everyday objects. Growing up with the rise in consumerism, Oldenburg drew inspiration from the new American lifestyle. He created public art installations and soft sculptures based on common, consumable products using mixed media. His sculptures magnified the size of the objects and encouraged viewers to explore the functions of art and its consumption while mocking consumer culture's superficiality. Oldenburg gave Pop art a multidimensional, physical medium to explore mid-20th century consumer culture and ideas, free from the confines of two-dimensional. ("Claes Oldenburg")
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| Floor Burger (1962) by Claes Oldenburg |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
Floor Burger, 1962, canvas filled with foam rubber and cardboard boxes,
painted with acrylic paint, 132.1 x 213.4 x 213.4 cm
Created in New York City, New York, USA
Located at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada
Oldenburg opened his installation, The Store (1961), in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, selling rough sculptures of desserts, meats, clothing, and other mass-produced commodities. He plays with the size and texture of his items, manipulating the perspective of the viewer, forcing them to rediscover the product and its purpose compared to its typical counterparts. They could only be consumed as art and nothing else. Floor Burger was part of this installation, inspired by seeing grand pianos and automobiles in showrooms, seemingly out of place due to their large size. ("Floor Burger")
Oldenburg creates an organic shape by stuffing canvas, allowing for slight modification of the sculptures. The malleable, yet rough physical texture of his sculptures allows the viewer to take in the art through the sense of touch. Floor Burger has a different form compared to typical past sculptures in history. Its space and placement are rather unique compared to being placed on a pedestal. Instead of being separated from the viewer, it takes on its role as a commodity, ready to serve its purpose.
Personal Relation
This piece is special compared to usual sculptures. I think it would be cool to see in person and experience the feelings that Oldenburg's work creates. I would not own something like this, it is not particularly my style.
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| Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks (1969) by Claes Oldenburg |
Description, Art Elements, and Presentation
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, 1969, weathering steel, 740 x 760 x 330 cm
Created in New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Located at Morse College Courtyard, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
This sculpture takes a different approach to Oldenburg’s ideas of consumerism and was directly critical of consumer culture during the Vietnam War. Originally, it was only supposed to be a temporary sculpture, but it became a symbol of Yale University's student protests of the Vietnam War. The characteristic of the lipstick is very feminine, but can be spun to emphasize the "masculinity" of war. The sculpture's two opposite characteristics are representative of the destructive nature of the United States' obsession with consuming and beauty. (Dosch)
The sculpture's red and gold colors are captivating, and the lipstick's smooth, polished texture, in comparison to the tank wheels, works together to create a contrast between the theme of beauty and destruction. The sculpture looms over the courtyard, demanding attention, reflecting consumer culture and the nature of anti-war protests during the Vietnam War.
Personal Relation
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks represents how consumerism is used to distract from other matters at hand. When we are so focused on materialistic wants, we dismiss the importance of our actual needs. In the moment, it is easier to keep our heads down and focus on ourselves and momentary fulfillment. But we can only do that for so long.
Works Cited
“Andy Warhol. Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1962.” MoMA, The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/collection/works/79809. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
“Andy Warhol.” The Art Story, 1 June 2010, www.theartstory.org/artist/warhol-andy/.
“Claes Oldenburg. Floor Burger. 1962.” MoMA, The Museum of Modern Art, 2025, www.moma.org/audio/playlist/270/3504.
“Claes Oldenburg.” The Art Story, 21 Jan. 2016, www.theartstory.org/artist/oldenburg-claes/.
Dosch, Mya. “Claes Oldenburg, Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/modernity-ap/a/oldenburg-lipstick-ascending-on-caterpillar-tracks. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Filipowska, Roksana. “Richard Hamilton’s Plastic Problem.” Science History Institute, 19 May 2023, www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/richard-hamiltons-plastic-problem/.
Higgs, Kerryn. “A Brief History of Consumer Culture.” The MIT Press Reader, The MIT Press Reader, 20 Apr. 2021, thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/a-brief-history-of-consumer-culture/.
“Marcel Duchamp and Richard Hamilton.” Tate, Tate Gallery, 2025, www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain/display/modern-and-contemporary-british-art/marcel-duchamp-and-richard-hamilton.
You found some truly unique examples of mid-modern artwork. I appreciate your focus on how consumerism deeply affected the art of the time and how advertisements for consumer goods were becoming more prevalent. Although some of these paintings would possibly have convinced me to buy something, there are a few that I don't think would have been effective. The Floor Burger makes me almost want a burger less, so I struggle to grasp whether advertising was truly the intention of the artist or if I'm just too far off from the intended audience.
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