Framed Building Pop Art

If someone is asked to name a pop art piece, framed building pop art might not be the first thing to come to mind. However, this unique artistic niche should not be neglected. It can be a wonderful way to provide a fresh take on building imagery, which can sometimes appear staid and sterile. Furthermore, it is a combination of style and subject that is less frequently seen together and can therefore feel less prone to trite portrayals that sometimes come up in popular artistic movements.

Like many early pop art pieces in general, many early framed building pop art pieces featured collage techniques. Robert Rauschenberg used such an approach in the ironically-titled “Estate,” which contains a collage of apartment buildings, street signs, and landmarks. He then painted over portions of the collage with heavy strokes and bright colors. The final effect is more reminiscent of urban chaos than an estate of any kind.