Who were the Post-Pop painters and how did they address themes of popular culture and mass media?

Post-Pop is a term that describes a group of artists who emerged in the 1980s as a reaction to the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. Unlike Pop artists who celebrated the culture of consumerism and mass media, Post-Pop painters like Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, and Sherrie Levine, were more critical of these phenomena. They used the imagery of popular culture and mass media as a way to critique the consumer-driven society and the way that art and culture were becoming commodified.

Post-Pop painters often appropriated and recontextualized images from popular culture and mass media, such as advertisements, magazine covers, and photographs. By taking these images out of their original context and placing them in the context of fine art, the artists forced the viewer to reconsider their meaning and significance. They also used these images to comment on issues such as gender, race, sexuality, and power, often in provocative and controversial ways.

The work of Post-Pop painters was characterized by a blend of high and low culture, often combining traditional painting techniques with new media such as photography and digital imaging. They also embraced a sense of irony and humor, using satire and parody to critique the excesses and absurdities of contemporary society.

Overall, the Post-Pop movement was an important moment in the history of contemporary art, signaling a shift away from the celebratory tone of Pop Art towards a more critical engagement with the culture of consumerism and mass media.