Modern Room 1990

Roy Lichtenstein made this print, 'Modern Room', using screen printing. The work epitomizes the Pop Art movement, engaging with mass culture and commercial aesthetics. In this interior scene, Lichtenstein uses bold colors, thick outlines, and the now-iconic Ben-Day dots. The style is borrowed directly from comic books and advertising. Lichtenstein was an American artist working during the 1960s, a time when mass production and consumption were rapidly changing society. What could be the meaning behind the artist's choice to include a portrait of Mao Zedong? Lichtenstein seems to be commenting on the commodification of culture, and the status of art as just another consumer product. The flat, graphic style flattens the distinction between high and low art. Art historians can look to period advertisements, design trends, and the writings of critics to understand how Lichtenstein's work challenged the institutions of art. By examining the context, we can see how his art both reflected and critiqued the culture of his time.