 | Warhol and the World of Mass- Media |
| Warhol and the World of Mass- Media |
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The mass-media of the 20th century exists as one of the most powerful systems for synchronizing collective thought, opinion and behaviour, delivered with graphic if impersonal immediacy in a format designed to arouse certain reactions with carefully chosen words and imagery which are generally accepted by the ordinary man without many questions, not poised to critically analyse every aspect presented for bias or complete truth. The media operates with a psychology of its own, the basic ingredients of which have remained unchanged for decades but which retains a top position for the abstract concept of the "sensational"in varying degrees on every level. The media has the power to glorify or destroy anything or anyone by the power of its word and to dictate the throes of popular culture, while existing as part of that culture itself. The commercial world of advertising exists as a tightened variation of the media system, a parallel practice operating similar strategies in order to sell even the most mundane new product to a seemingly ever-willing population. Mass immunity to these systems is perhaps cancelled due to variation and continually refined techniques whose final message is one that promises the possibility of a better life on purchase.
Commercial imagery of the American 60's was big, bold, beautiful and whole-heartedly optimistic, operating a system in which the label became more important than the actual content in the battle of consumerism that existed in America. Both Warhol's art and his public image emerged due to a complex relationship with the parallel worlds of the media and advertising. While Warhol's art evolved as a blend of media and commercial sources and techniques, it was the mass-media which awarded Warhol his celebrity status. This was not due to an appreciation of his art, although his redefinition did undergo scrutany by even the most intellectually shy publications especially his Death and Disaster series in which he reproduced some of the most sensational images from media archives. Warhol's brand of art predictably ignited the most puritan condemnation from the press who asked the obvious questions of whether or not this could be called art, and especially an art which raised such high prices in the art market. This was press coverage which laughed at the artist, ridiculing his life-style and his appearance as well as his art, press coverage encouraged all the way by Warhol himself who maintained this profile by attending every celebrity bash and ensuring that he was photographed with every other high profile celebrity in residence. As the press continued to point and laugh, the question remained, exactly who was laughing at whom? |
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