Post-pop art

David Barsalou had a lot of free time for the past 25 years. Apparently so many that he spent these years of his life, carefully examining every illustration of the icon of the pop art of the 60s, Roy Liechtenstein .

David studied more than 30,000 comics for the only purpose - to find original images that the artist used as the source material for his work. So far, Barsalou is located about 140 illustrates, with which he generously is ready to share with the world of the Internet.

“I always knew that Liechtenstein used existing comics to further work with them, but I did not know to what extent he copied the original! Critics believe that the artist made global changes in illustrations, but if you look, you will understand that all images are copied almost literally, and only a couple of works are unique, ”Barsalou explains.

Jack Kovot, the head of the Lichtenstein Foundation, is not particularly worried about this. He disputes the opinion that Liechtenstein was a simple copywriter: “Roy's work is a combination of amazing graphic formulas and feelings that the whole world still admires. Images were changed on a scale, color, processing, and in their meaning. There is no exact copy. ”

The first thought that is likely to visit you is that David Barsalow is another seeker of fame, and decided in this way to earn money or simply draw attention to his person, but he claims that this is the work of love.

“I do not want to insult anyone with this and I do not urge anyone to think that Liechtenstein is just a plagiator. I do this so that people can decide for themselves that they like more. I'm not trying to make any money on this. "

The period in art named Pop Art was formed on the basis of a conflict of copy and art. Artists did not so much produce something new as they did re-branding existing things, popularized them. And Roy was not going to invent a bicycle. That was his vision - he found in random books with the comics of the image that inspired him, remade him, he gave them a new meaning and instilled a new life in them.

David Barsalou Deconstructing Roy Lichtenstien and his Flickr