Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid Spain
June 10th 2014 to September 14th 2014
Paseo del Prado, 8https://www.museothyssen.org/
A few years back, the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid offered me an eye-opening insight into the world of Pop Art through their exhibition named Pop Art Myths. From the 10th of June to the 14th of September 2014, in collaboration with Japan Tobacco International and the BBVA Foundation, the exhibition counted around 104 different artworks from various countries all portraying the same artistic period. Pop Art, chosen by the curator involves world-wide famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein but this gallery presents local spanish artists as well. Indeed, Pop Art was an artistic movement born in the late 50's and early 60's which is extremely well known for idealising our consumer lives thus turning daily objects into new modern myths. And it doesn't stop there. Pop Art also, was the master of turning Hollywood's best of the era into timeless icons such as Marilyn Monroe.
The exhibition had a general joyful and opening feeling. The bright and attractive colours of the paintings caught my eye as soon as I stepped into the room. And, the simple construction of the paintings allowed me to identify myself and find pleasure in what I saw. The art exhibited plunged the me, into a abstract mythical world all the while staying connecting to the real world thanks to the daily objects it portrayed such as Coca-Cola bottles. However, I spotted that a few famous pieces were missing from the collection such as Marilyn's immense Diptych created by Andy Warhol in 1962 and Keith Haring's exuberant outlines of popular figures. These well known pieces would have made a massive contribution to this showcase, but in the end the flow of the exhibition was just as brilliant because the paintings gave a fantastic liberating feeling.
Furthermore, as a third year student specialising in media studies, I have decided to centre my attention on the painting Jackie Blue in the series of the same name by Andy Warhol painted in 1964. Indeed, after the tragic murder of former US President John F. Kennedy on the 22nd of November in Dallas, (Texas), Warhol documented this event of international importance through his wife : Jackie Kennedy. She wasn't a movie star, but she was America’s royalty: young, glamorous, regal, and the most popular First Lady. One of the world’s greatest style icons, she influenced the way an entire generation of American women wanted to look, dress and behave. She was a visual metaphor for the youth and promise of the Kennedy administration. And, I firmly believe that this woman could be qualified as a myth or hero of our modern world. How does Jackie Kennedy embody the image of a myth and heroine through Warhol's double painting Jackie Blue? And, how can a historical figure be idealised as a myth by art?
Extracts from painting Jackie Blues - Andy Warhol, 1964 - Acrylic and silkscreen on canvas - The MET Museum, New York
The painting presents a side by side double close-up facet of Jackie Kennedy. The former First Lady is placed on the right side of the squares but her look is pointing to the left creating an interesting dynamic to the artwork. Moreover, the punchy blue colour of the painting makes the outline of Jackie Kennedy stand out. Also, Warhol uses two shades of blue as a background to the former First Lady. On the left side, the dominant colour is light blue (sky blue) which symbolises peace, serenity and spirituality. And, on the right side, Jackie is surrounded by dark blue, meaning trust, dignity, intelligence and authority. These positive attributes prove that Jackie is represented as a heroin and a myth by Warhol in the Jackie Blue series.
Indeed, the artistic movement it belongs to : Pop Art, reintegrates art and the real world bringing "high" and "low" culture on the same page. Therefore, Andy Warhol, does exactly that. The artist portrays Jackie Kennedy as a heroine of popular culture. He began his series of 'Jackie' paintings in response to the media blitz that followed the incident, choosing photographs used in the media before and after the event. By cropping Jackie’s face and repeating it, Warhol focused on her beauty, courage, grace and vulnerability during this tragic event. Jackie’s powerful image represents not only her grief, but also that of the entire country which can surely qualify her as a myth or heroine of our modern society. As a matter of fact, I find most striking that Andy Warhol through a simple work of art manages to idealise a historical figure as a popular myth and idol for women in the United States and around the world.
I can surely recommend this exhibition to anyone who is searching for an entry into popular myths and heroes of our world ! The massive range of artists also contributes to the diversity of this art gallery. Unfortunately, the Thyssen Museum is not touring their Pop Art : Myths exhibition, but there is a virtual tour on offer for the general public as well as an interactive magazine. Don't hesitate to go have a look !
