The World Goes Pop sounds a little bit like a compilation album from 2001, one that contains the hits of the Spice Girls, Steps, B*Witched and Billie Piper, alongside other influential pop divas of the day. However, whilst this concoction admittedly sounds pretty great, it’s not actually the case here. Instead, The World Goes Pop is the title of Tate Modern’s latest exhibition, on later this month, an exhibition that will explore an alternative history of that notorious cultural movement, Pop Art. “This is pop art, but not as you know it,” the gallery declares in the blurb for the show. Because let’s face it, even those uneducated in the history of art (like several of the Ten team, we must admit) can identify at least one relevant piece – there’s Andy Warhol, of course. Roy Lichtenstein. Richard Hamilton. So what’s new here then? “From Latin America to Asia, and from Europe to the Middle East, this explosive exhibition connects the dots between art produced around the world during the 1960s and 1970s, showing how different cultures and countries responded to the movement.” It promises to reposition Pop Art from celebration of consumer culture to art of protest and, alongside world art, it will also contain plenty of work from female pop artists, like Marisol Escobar and Kiki Kogelnik. About time. We’ve given you plenty of warning, so go forth and fill your September with art and culture.
The World Goes Pop is on at Tate Modern from September 17th – January 24th.
Image: Doll Festival by Ushio Shinohara, courtesy of Tate Modern and the artist.
