Richard Hamilton (Printmaking)
Born 24th of February 1922, Richard Hamilton was a English printmaker who focused on screen printing and digital printing. He passed away in 2011, leaving behind a collection of interesting prints and collages. Considered to be one of the earliest involved in Pop Art in the UK, Hamilton's art poked at modern life and society as a whole, his work often carrying satirical intentions.
Interior, from 1964-5 is a screen print including images of 50s and 60s lifestyle. Truth be told, I don't fully understand how he's managed to create this, my understanding of placing printed images into a print is still underdeveloped. It's clear to me that that is a complex image, with a lot of time spent on the composition. These (seemingly) loosely collected images give a rather specific representation of a 3D space, suggesting a depth to those who look at it for long enough. I feel the image is intentionally dated, the use of very specific trends and designs throughout. The bright 'pop'-like colours are very indicative of the styles at that time.
Similarly to Interior, this piece entitled Just what is it that makes today's homes so different? also shows an interior that tries to summarise the trends and feels of the current time. A digital print from 1992, this piece shows how technology is coming into our homes, by literally showing computers and elements from the space project inside the normal home. The inclusion of the microwave also suggests that technology is influencing our habits. Hamilton covers so much in this image, even referencing Thatcher and the gender debate, all of which were critical issues at the time. There's a lot in this image if you really look, and I'm sure I don't understand half of it. I'm impressed by how much Hamilton can say with only one image.
I hadn't looked at artists like this before, that use photographic images in their printing. The style and look of these images never really appealed to me, honestly they just looked like messy collages. But Hamilton has shown me how much effort and thought goes into his placement and composition, and the messages, subtle and blatant, he can get across through this medium.
Interior, from 1964-5 is a screen print including images of 50s and 60s lifestyle. Truth be told, I don't fully understand how he's managed to create this, my understanding of placing printed images into a print is still underdeveloped. It's clear to me that that is a complex image, with a lot of time spent on the composition. These (seemingly) loosely collected images give a rather specific representation of a 3D space, suggesting a depth to those who look at it for long enough. I feel the image is intentionally dated, the use of very specific trends and designs throughout. The bright 'pop'-like colours are very indicative of the styles at that time.
Similarly to Interior, this piece entitled Just what is it that makes today's homes so different? also shows an interior that tries to summarise the trends and feels of the current time. A digital print from 1992, this piece shows how technology is coming into our homes, by literally showing computers and elements from the space project inside the normal home. The inclusion of the microwave also suggests that technology is influencing our habits. Hamilton covers so much in this image, even referencing Thatcher and the gender debate, all of which were critical issues at the time. There's a lot in this image if you really look, and I'm sure I don't understand half of it. I'm impressed by how much Hamilton can say with only one image.
I hadn't looked at artists like this before, that use photographic images in their printing. The style and look of these images never really appealed to me, honestly they just looked like messy collages. But Hamilton has shown me how much effort and thought goes into his placement and composition, and the messages, subtle and blatant, he can get across through this medium.
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