The Pop Culture Show Winners
Our Judge Valerie Coopet
Valerie holds a degree in art history and fine arts, but before judging the show, she revisited the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 1960s to refresh her knowledge. Pop Art was among the first movements to bridge the gap between commercial and fine art. Renowned artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and David Hockney were central to this movement.
As she evaluated the pieces, Valerie looked for several defining characteristics of Pop Art, including:
- The use of imagery from popular culture, such as television, advertising, and comic books.
- A focus on mundane, everyday subjects.
- The use of bold, often primary colors.
- The incorporation of irony and wit to critique popular culture.
- Techniques borrowed from commercial advertising, such as silkscreening and photography, to challenge the concept of originality.
- A variety of mediums, including photography, painting, and printmaking.
- These traits guided her assessment of the works on display.
“The submissions in this show truly embody the essence of Pop Art. Many are not only thought-provoking but also absolutely stunning. I’m deeply impressed by the creativity and effort each artist poured into their work. It has been an absolute privilege to judge this exhibit and immerse myself in such an inspiring collection. With so many outstanding pieces, selecting just three winners was incredibly challenging, as so many deserved recognition.”
1st Place - All That Glitters - Erik Jon Olson
The artist used bold colors and verbiage from commercial art, but his use of materials is a bold, ironic statement in this piece. We are not are not saving money by buying new products, rather destroying our planet by creating more waste with plastic. Erik Jon Olson has quilted this plastic waste to create a stunning statement about our consumerism.
2nd Place - Good and Bad Hair Days - Victoria Walz
This piece handled a topic from current events with a sense of humor. The familiar subjects are taken from the news and dealt with in an honest but humorous manner. IGood and Bad Hair Days by Victoria Walz could almost be a campaign poster!
3rd Place - Summer Holiday - Trista Hendrickson
This piece covered all the bases with vivid color and a subject that appeals to the masses with its cool girl subject and unique poster type of display. The artist showed her mastery of several mediums. Perhaps we all would like to have a drink with Trista Hendrickson’s girl in Summer Holiday.