Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? is a collage made by English artist Richard Hamilton in 1956 for the This is Tomorrow art exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London, England. The piece is widely considered to be the first pop art work to reach iconic prestige and to influence the development of the movement in Great Britain and the United States. Following the trend’s principles, the piece includes images that reference popular culture in order to challenge the traditional characteristics of fine art. It is designed in a way aimed to appeal to a mass audience, especially the youth, through the use of the current advertisement imagery and material objects that made up the desired model to follow in order to have a contemporary home. In post-war Great Britain, this standard was set by American affluence, which influenced the nation’s perspective on what constituted sophisticated houses through the arrival of complex, more efficient, and overall modern consumer goods.
According to the collage and therefore the artist, the defining element that comprised an up-to-date household in the 1950s in the United States and Western Europe was the overwhelming presence of in vogue objects such as the vacuum cleaner (which became particularly popular at this time), the tape recorder, the TV, and the preserved ham. Moreover, the work shows explicitly sexualized male and female figures that represent society’s already existing inclination towards a sexual revolution that would take place later in the 1960s. These bodies not only signify the roots of an eventual social movement, but they are also the visual depiction of society’s desired expectations towards the human body and gender roles: a body-builder-like complexion for men that openly displayed their strength and therefore masculinity, and an overly sexy and naked housewife patiently waiting for her husband on her sofa at home. The presence of these symbols of 1950s lavishness conveys to the spectator the piece’s central idea: luxury items, mass production, and consumer culture were the new identifying features of modern life in the Western hemisphere.
Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? is an artwork that reflects the conditions of the environment the artist lived in. In a visual form, it reveals the increasing industrialization of the time, a consequence of America’s economic prowess after the war; thus, resulting in the mass marketing of excessiveness in order to convince people that extravagance was what was needed to have an appealing modern household. After a period of war-induced shortages, lavishness took over the United States and, though to a lesser degree, Britain. American and British popular culture differed in one crucial aspect though: their origins. The foundations of pop art in Great Britain were stimulated by the observation of the ideological content of American popular culture and the simultaneous critique of how its new gadgets and advertisements affected society, making it more prosperous but also strongly manipulative. In Britain, even though these qualities were slowly being adopted, they were also seen from a distanced perspective, while American artists were inspiring their artworks in the culture they were immersed in and first-hand experiencing.
To fully appreciate Hamilton’s work and its impact, it’s essential to delve into the theoretical underpinnings of Pop Art and its significance within the broader context of art history. Pop Art emerged in the mid-20th century as a reaction against the dominant art movements of the time, such as Abstract Expressionism. Unlike Abstract Expressionism, which focused on the personal and emotional expression of the artist, Pop Art embraced the imagery and techniques of mass culture. This shift is highlighted by Lawrence Alloway’s assertion that Pop Art represents a “democratic” art form that blurs the boundaries between “high” and “low” culture.
Roland Barthes’ concept of “mythologies” is particularly relevant to understanding Hamilton’s collage. Barthes argued that everyday objects and cultural products carry a multiplicity of meanings beyond their utilitarian function. In this light, the vacuum cleaner, TV, and other consumer goods in Hamilton’s work are not merely functional items but are imbued with ideological significance. They symbolize post-war prosperity, technological progress, and the consumerist ideals of the time. The sexualized figures further add to the narrative, revealing the underlying tensions and aspirations related to gender and sexuality in the 1950s.
Moreover, Jean Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra and simulation provides a critical lens through which to view Hamilton’s collage. Baudrillard posited that in a postmodern society, reality is increasingly mediated by images and symbols, leading to a blurring of the line between reality and representation. In Hamilton’s work, the hyper-realistic depiction of consumer goods and idealized bodies serves as a commentary on the constructed nature of modern life, where the distinction between the authentic and the simulated becomes increasingly indistinguishable.
Cultural Materialism, a theoretical framework advanced by Raymond Williams, also sheds light on the significance of Hamilton’s work. Cultural Materialism emphasizes the material conditions of culture and how they shape social and ideological structures. Hamilton’s collage, with its focus on consumer goods and domestic life, illustrates how material affluence and industrial production influence cultural norms and values. This perspective underscores the interconnectedness of economic, social, and cultural factors in shaping the lived experiences of individuals.
In the context of the Frankfurt School’s critical theory, particularly the works of Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, Hamilton’s collage can be seen as a critique of the culture industry. Adorno and Horkheimer argued that mass-produced cultural products serve to perpetuate dominant ideologies and reinforce capitalist structures. Hamilton’s appropriation of advertising imagery and consumer goods reflects a similar critique, highlighting the ways in which popular culture commodifies and manipulates social desires and identities.
Additionally, Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model of communication provides insight into how audiences might interpret Hamilton’s collage. Hall proposed that media texts are encoded with specific meanings by their creators, but these meanings can be decoded in various ways by different audiences. Hamilton’s collage, with its rich array of cultural symbols, invites multiple interpretations, depending on the viewer’s cultural background, social position, and personal experiences.
The sexualized figures in the collage also invite analysis through the lens of gender theory. The representation of the male bodybuilder and the female housewife reflects and reinforces contemporary gender norms and expectations. The bodybuilder epitomizes the ideal of masculine strength and virility, while the housewife embodies domesticity and sexual availability. This dichotomy can be examined through Judith Butler’s theory of performativity, which suggests that gender identity is constructed through repeated performances of socially sanctioned behaviors.
Furthermore, the collage’s emphasis on consumer goods and domestic bliss can be analyzed through Betty Friedan’s critique of the “feminine mystique”. Friedan argued that the idealization of domesticity in post-war America trapped women in unfulfilling roles as homemakers. Hamilton’s collage, by juxtaposing luxury items with traditional gender roles, subtly critiques the ways in which consumer culture perpetuates these gendered expectations.
In conclusion, Richard Hamilton’s Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? is a seminal work that captures the essence of mid-20th-century consumer culture and its impact on societal values and identities. By incorporating images from popular culture and everyday life, Hamilton challenges traditional notions of fine art and highlights the interplay between material affluence, industrialization, and cultural norms. Through the lens of various academic theories, we can appreciate the depth and complexity of Hamilton’s critique, revealing the profound ways in which consumerism shapes and reflects our collective aspirations and anxieties.