"Gratification” is my take on modern pop art.
I believe the most iconic piece of pop art is Andy Warhol’s tomato cans. So, I wanted to create something that could be my take on that.
When I think of modern day popular culture, the first thing that comes to mind is that our culture is obsessed with instant gratification. Whether it’s going viral, ordering something from your phone and it shows up at your door, weight loss, instantaneous communication, immediate results, overnight success— we want instant gratification! I’m guilty of it too! I find myself getting frustrated when things take time.
So, I wanted to paint something that symbolized instant gratification. I was actually in my kitchen as I was pondering ideas, and that’s when I looked over and saw an instant ramen noodle cup in my trashcan. I thought- that’s it!
That styrofoam “instant lunch” cup is so iconic and is the perfect symbol for instant gratification. Instant ramen is cheap and easy and fast. It satiates the hunger for a moment, but doesn’t nourish our body best. Just as instant gratification is satisfying in the moment, it isn’t always best for our health.
I love the irony of this piece. Art is the opposite of instant gratification. Art takes patience and time. Especially my highly textured artwork that takes so much time to dry and is applied in layers.
I love the bright colors of this piece and the details of the texture and patterns. The dotted background is a nod to famous pop artist Roy Lichtenstein who used Ben-Day dots (picture the comic strip aesthetic) to create iconic artwork that shaped the pop art movement.
To me, this painting is such a reminder that beautiful things take time. If we continue to keep going, be patient, ultimately it will be the most gratifying.