Pop Art

Overview

An essential yet snappy new guide to the ever-fashionable art movement

Pop Art is the most important 20th-century art movement. It brought Modernism to the masses, making art sexy and fun with Coke cans and comics. Today, in our age of selfies and social networking, we are still living in a world defined by Pop. Full of brand new interviews and research, Sooke describes the great works by Warhol, Lichtenstein and other key figures, but also re-examines the movement for the 21st century and asks if it is still art. He reveals a global story, from Pop's surprising origins in 19th-century Paris to uncovering the forgotten female artists of the 1960s.

Reviews

"As befits its title, Alastair Sooke's introduction to pop art is a colourful little book that should appeal to aficionados and casual admirers alike . . . a well-researched and authoritative introduction to the movement . . . a hugely engaging read." —Alexander Larman, The Observer

"A great introduction to what reveals itself to be a shifting and elusive 'movement'." —Time Out

"A clear and lively outline of the history of pop art . . . full of interesting facts and anecdotes that make the book (unlike so much art criticism) . . . a pleasure to read." —The Sunday Times

"Sooke is an immensely engaging character. He has none of the weighty self-regard that often afflicts art experts and critics; rather he approaches his subjects with a questioning, open, exploratory attitude." —Sarah Vine, The Times

"A brilliant account . . . So poetically precise in its evocations of the cut-outs . . . so tender in its sympathy." —Peter Conrad on Henri Matisse: A Second Life

Author Biography

Alastair Sooke is the author of the biographies Henri Matisse: A Second Life and Roy Lichtenstein: How Modern Art Was Saved by Donald Duck. He is art critic for the Daily Telegraph and a popular BBC broadcaster.