Richard Hamilton Collage: Modernised to fit today’s society
Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? (1956) Richard Hamilton.
Hamilton created this collage, showing the culture of the 50’s — after the war. He included several objects and figures that represented the model way of living at that time. For a detailed analysis of the items in this collage, I read through a BBC article — which helped me produce my own collage: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150824-richard-hamilton-and-the-work-that-created-pop-art
We were allocated time to recreate the collage above, that had to include; ‘Man, Woman, Food, History, Newspapers, Cinema, Domestic Appliances, Cars, Space, Comics, TV, Telephone, Information’, stated by Hamilton. To create a collage that has both depth and meaning, I had to come up with sophisticated ideas that worked in conjunction with each other. The list that Hamilton has provided is a guideline that I have interpreted in my own way, to create an illustration of visual ethos and design consumerism status today.
The underlining meaning to my collage is the social aspects of equality, and how the modern day we live in has changed over the years — in comparison to when the Hamilton collage was made — and the way people observe and interpret different sexualities. Through research it has been made clear that there are people that are not forgiving to the diversity of people and their status’s. Although the percentage is slowly decreasing. A woman does not have to dress up, smother her face in makeup or wear heels to be accepted today; a man that prefers the aesthetic of a women, does not have to fit himself into the stereotype of a man. Both examples should not create any isolation in society.
The man I have chosen is dressed in drag; symbolising that he is open and comfortable in himself, whereas the women is showing her strength as she is lifting weights and showing that women are able to have muscles too. I have also positioned the TV in the centre of the room — creating a focal point — with a news channel on, captioned ‘TRUMP: “I’M FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE”’ to show how people are not open to how modern life is changing and produces a strong starter point for the collage as well as a contrast to the modern room.
Outside the window I have composed an image of the stereotypical lifestyle from the 1950’s — where the man is in a suit, returning home from work to greet his wife, who takes care of the house. This image is now perceived as old fashioned as times have changed and women are able to go out, work full time and vice versa for men.
Some aspects of my collage highlight the way we live; the pot noodle and pizza hut boxes are both from fast food companies. This shows that it’s hard to find the time to cook a meal; it is easier to order or grab something fast as it will do the job for the time needed. Nowadays, it is the whole family go out to work and work longer hours, which creates this issue
I have also included toy cars and a baby monitor into my collage symbolising that there is a younger child; showing that both man and women can multi task. Representing how times have modernised.
Instead of looking through a newspaper page by page, I have made a wallpaper that shows the articles. Each article I have chosen is from my local town and shows charitable events within the society, and more prominently, men that are working in the nursing facility — as the health care sector job is seen as a women’s job.
