December 2014 Instantly Recognisable

Post Pop: East Meets West Exhibition - Saatchi Gallery

Until visiting this exhibition I had no real interest in Pop Art, but it was here that I managed to truly understand its purpose; to represent objects that are instantly recognisable, in this case to both Western and Eastern cultures.
The most significant piece for me had to be the sculpture and Lenin and Jesus holding hands with Micky Mouse.

At the forefront of the exhibition's Ideology section, it was so bold, imposing and darkly comic. It is a satirist's dream; of course these characters wouldn't get along like this, but they're all worshiped like Gods. Just by different people.
The room of all the flags in the world made out of human hair was also particularly special. Again highly satirical, it brought a sense of mocking, bathos and ordinariness to the human obsession with nationalism.
Other works include Banksy's graphited door, (painting on an object we all recognise), the controversial mechanical statues of praying Muslims, and the MacDonald's van with rude messages scribbled on it. These objects are so easily identifiable that me and my brother got told off for using the arcade games, which, though just an art installation, surprisingly worked!

It is fair to say that Pop Art is now an increasingly attractive medium for contemporary artists. In a homogeneous, digital internet age where images, icons and symbols are becoming identifiable to the whole world, reacting creatively to them isn't such a bad idea.