Introduction
An art manifesto is defined as a public declaration of views, intentions and motives of artistic movement or of an artist showing standard features of the modernist avant-garde. It is noted that art manifestos are generally extreme in the way they are written and are intended to achieve a revolutionary effect. A manifesto is literary an address to the whole world with the pretense of discovering a cure for artistic, political, agronomical, parliamentary, astronomical and literary disease that has been ailing the society. Warhol’s manifesto centers on the change that is inevitable and has been embraced by all people of all ages and race (Comenas Para. 1).
In the 1960s, Andy Warhol is said to have helped shape the American consumerism through art. In advocating for change, Warhol points out a number of changes that have manifested in the lives of many. There was a major shift from the traditional and formal way of living and perceiving things to viewing them in a more common way. For instance, women had become more liberal than they used to be before then. There was an emphasis of the visibility of more freedom than it used to be. Warhol therefore urged people to become more aware of this era where liberty from traditions and past mindsets of formal presentations is inevitable for all. “Gone are the agricultural days of the past. We have evolved into an I N D U S T R I A L I Z E D culture” (Atienza Para. 2).
It is an urge to make art be available and affordable for all. This means every individual should be able to afford art and enjoy it. “That is not the purpose of art. I feel that it is something E V E R Y O N E should be able to enjoy” (Atienza Para. 2). It should not be idolized to a few people who can spend time and do the painting or those who can only afford the paints. The world was said to be revolving and things were changing slowly. Among them was pop art which was becoming more interesting and people were incredibly drawn to it. Warhol notes that pop art is a vital tool in fighting for the rights of the oppressed in the society (Schroeder Para. 7).
Warhol notes that the popularity of art was growing at an incredible speed since there was availability of newspapers, television, shows, magazines, headlines, openings, concerts, and appearances that helped spread it wide. It gave an opportunity for common people in the society to become famous and tab into their talents and abilities in order to change the world. This meant that more people could venture into pop art and explore it fully without following strict traditional rules that only gave room to a chosen few (Solanas 9).
Warhol’s manifesto on pop art indicates that the ordinary people are the ultimate determinants of the form with which art ought to take. There should not be rules and guidelines to be followed that limit other people’s abilities and ideas as well as closing out on others. The advocacy is for popular art to be made simple and as ordinary as possible. This is the change that was advocated for by Warhol in pop art.
But that is it. Not too exact. Not too detailed. This shouldn’t be done in this time. It just doesn’t fit. Like minimalism, but not. I’m not creating an exact representation of a subject nor am I creating an extreme simplification of form. I am a simple person. I have a simple set of rules. I live in a world with common people (Atienza Para. 5).
It is noted that Warhol painted and drew a number of products including coca cola bottles, Campbell’s soup cans and even other celebrities such as Elvis Presley. Contrary to the traditional approach and method used, Warhol used silkscreen method. The paintings made at the time were in line with the social trends at that time. As people bought the various commodities and goods, they became more aware of the antisocial practices that needed to be done with from the society through art. Therefore, art became popular and brought several changes in the perception of the world and the activities taking place in it (Tpduke Para. 4).
Conclusion
In summary, Andy Warhol’s pop art manifesto brought significant changes in the lives of people in the 1960s through the advocacy for freedom, truth and fame. Pop art manifesto of Warhol indicted the realization that people had embraced for the need and necessity for freedom. The ordinary people were slowly taking the center stage in pop art and therefore the traditions and guidelines had to fade away. The society had to be freer from any unnecessary restrictions and leave all people to tab to their talents in pop art.
Works Cited:
Atienza, Christine. “Artist Manifesto - Andy Warhol.” slideshare.net. SlideShare Inc. 04, Nov. 2009. Web. 10, April 2013.
Comenas, Gary. “The Origin of Andy Warhol's Soup Cans or the Synthesis of Nothingness.” warholstars.org. 03 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 April 2013.
Schroeder, Jonathan E. “Andy Warhol: Consumer Researcher.” Advances in Consumer Research 24 (1997): 476-482. Web. 10 April 2013.
Solanas, Valerie. SCUM manifesto. San Francisco, CA: Edinburgh, 1996. Print.
Tpduke. “Design Manifesto: Andy Warhol, Pop Art & 60′s Consumerism.” wordpress.com. Design Manifesto: Andy Warhol. 03, Jan. 2012. Web. 10, April 2013.
