“For us, art is not an end in itself…but it is an opportunity for the true perception and criticism of the times we live in.” – Hugo Ball

Art reflects and informs who we are as human beings and what we do as a collective human race. An intrinsic thread in our history, art captures the people, objects and ideas that shape us, sometimes subtly and other times in bold ways that forever alter society.

Contemporary art may achieve this most strikingly. Through experimentation and innovation, modern and postmodern art often mirrors popular culture by paralleling its iconography in its representations.

While there are many styles of contemporary art, pop art has remained a defining trend. This movement emerged in the late 1950s as mass advertising became more sophisticated, blurring the lines between traditional art and commercialism.

Pop art employs images of product design, film, superheroes, science fiction, politics and technology. It often celebrates, rather than revolting against, our consumerist society; but through this detached observation, pop art serves as cultural commentary in and of itself.