The World Goes Pop

Disappointing exhibition at Tate Modern looking at how the world outside of Britain and North America took us and used Pop Art.

I’d not realised this wasn’t a generic Pop Art show and that the emphasis was on the word ‘world’. I felt you needed some knowledge of the genre to understand properly what this about and that the show lacked an introduction. However with hindsight I’d recommend you pop up a floor to a good temporary display with one item from each of the big names from Britain and America! 

There were some interesting pieces but it wasn’t the light hearted show I’d expected! Most of the rest of the World seems to have used the genre to highlight oppression and political issues so I felt quite bludgeoned by the end rather than uplifted.

Pieces that have staying in my memory include Nicola L’s “Red Coat”, a leather coat built for 11 people.  It was originally designed to keep a performance group together at a festival but since has been used as an art piece in its own right and I loved the film of a group walking round a city in it. Also who would not want Thomas Bayrle’s Laughing Cow wallpaper! However I’m afraid much of the rest just felt rather heavy handed.

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