This exhibition takes as a starting point the works of the IVAM collection belonging to the Pop Art period. These works represent one of the most important samples in Spain and one of the most outstanding ones within Europe. The exhibition takes on an analytic approach over one the most remarkable periods for the development of artistic language in the 20^th century.

Pop Art first appeared as an artistic response to the consumption popular culture that started in the fifties and sixties. Following the precepts of the historical avant-gardes (from Marcel Duchamp's ready-made to surrealistic creations), Pop Art is considered one of the first examples of postmodern artistic practice, since it uses the appropriation of existing images as a starting point to carry out a political and social reflection. Artists systematically took over characters and products from the consumption society, and turned them into icons by transferring their presence from daily life to high culture spheres: museums and art galleries. This critical gaze developed simultaneously in different centres, so that Pop Art presents significant variations according to its geographical, social, political and cultural context.

Most of the pieces in the IVAM collection contributed to the development of Pop Art in Europe. In order to understand better its characteristic multiplicity, these works are shown in comparison with works coming from the North American context, establishing at the same time a dialogue with pieces considered forerunners of this trend. As a conclusion, and documenting at the same time their current validity, the exhibition also presents a series of works, debtors of Pop Art precepts, which have become part of this artistic heritage.

The works produced by Equipo Crónica, Equipo Realidad, Juan Genovés and Eduardo Arroyo, as representatives of the Spanish vision, are at the core of the IVAM Pop Art collection. Produced simultaneously to the works of other great figures of Pop Art, they reveal the flexibility and multiplicity of centres from which the movement has emerged and developed at the international level. Despite such a diversity, the exhibition aims at grouping together different artistic positions: from the forerunners, such as Richard Lidner or the artists from the British ‘Independent Group’ with Robert Hamilton, to US artists, such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg. From Claes Oldenburg to the New Realism artists, such as Martial Raysse, and those belonging to the New Image, with works by James Rosenquist. Another group individualized in the exhibition is that of Narrative Figuration with works by Gilles Aillaud, Hervé Télémaque and Valerio Adami, and the legacy kept in the photographs by Cindy Sherman or in the work of John Baldessari.

This exhibition takes as a starting point the works of the IVAM collection belonging to the Pop Art period. These works represent one of the most important samples in Spain and one of the most outstanding ones within Europe. The exhibition takes on an analytic approach over one the most remarkable periods for the development of artistic language in the 20^th century.

Pop Art first appeared as an artistic response to the consumption popular culture that started in the fifties and sixties. Following the precepts of the historical avant-gardes (from Marcel Duchamp's ready-made to surrealistic creations), Pop Art is considered one of the first examples of postmodern artistic practice, since it uses the appropriation of existing images as a starting point to carry out a political and social reflection. Artists systematically took over characters and products from the consumption society, and turned them into icons by transferring their presence from daily life to high culture spheres: museums and art galleries. This critical gaze developed simultaneously in different centres, so that Pop Art presents significant variations according to its geographical, social, political and cultural context.

Most of the pieces in the IVAM collection contributed to the development of Pop Art in Europe. In order to understand better its characteristic multiplicity, these works are shown in comparison with works coming from the North American context, establishing at the same time a dialogue with pieces considered forerunners of this trend. As a conclusion, and documenting at the same time their current validity, the exhibition also presents a series of works, debtors of Pop Art precepts, which have become part of this artistic heritage.

The works produced by Equipo Crónica, Equipo Realidad, Juan Genovés and Eduardo Arroyo, as representatives of the Spanish vision, are at the core of the IVAM Pop Art collection. Produced simultaneously to the works of other great figures of Pop Art, they reveal the flexibility and multiplicity of centres from which the movement has emerged and developed at the international level. Despite such a diversity, the exhibition aims at grouping together different artistic positions: from the forerunners, such as Richard Lidner or the artists from the British ‘Independent Group’ with Robert Hamilton, to US artists, such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg. From Claes Oldenburg to the New Realism artists, such as Martial Raysse, and those belonging to the New Image, with works by James Rosenquist. Another group individualized in the exhibition is that of Narrative Figuration with works by Gilles Aillaud, Hervé Télémaque and Valerio Adami, and the legacy kept in the photographs by Cindy Sherman or in the work of John Baldessari.