C O M M O D I T YM A R C H 3 1

C O M M O D I T Y

A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. ...man, by his industry, changes the forms of the materials furnished by Nature, in such a way as to make them useful to him. The form of wood, for instance, is altered, by making a table out of it. Yet, for all that, the table continues to be that common, every-day thing, wood. But, so soon as it steps forth as a commodity, it is changed into something transcendent. It not only stands with its feet on the ground, but, in relation to all other commodities, it stands on its head, and evolves out of its wooden brain grotesque ideas, far more wonderful than “table-turning” ever was.

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain (1917)

Pablo Picasso, Still Life with Chair Caning (1912)

Méret Oppenheim, Object (Breakfast in Fur) (1936)

Robert Rauschenberg, Coca-Cola Plan (1958)

Jasper Johns, Painted Bronze (Ale Cans) (1960)

Richard Hamilton, Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? (1956)

Hannah Höch, Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly

Cultural Epoch in Germany (1919)

John Heartfield, Hurrah, the Butter is over! (1935)

This is Tomorrow exhibition (1956)

“A new generation of Dadaists has emerged today, as violent and ingenious as their forebears, but Son of Dada is accepted, lionized by public and dealers, certified by state museums — the act of mythmaking has been transferred from the subject-matter of the work to the artist himself as the content of his art.”

-Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton, $he (1958-61)

Richard Hamilton, Pin-up (1961)

Evelyne Axell, Ice Cream (1964)

Ushio Shinohara,

Oiran (1968)

Ushio Shinohara, Coca-Cola Plan

(1964)

Sigmar Polke, The Sausage Eater

(1963)

Sigmar Polke, Chocolate Painting (1964)

Roy Lichtenstein, Drowning Girl

(1963)

“…Automobile body stylists have absorbed the symbolism of the space age more successfully than any artist. Social comment is left to TV and comic strip…If the artist is not to lose much of his ancient purpose he may have to plunder the popular arts to recover the imagery which is his rightful inheritance.”

-Richard Hamilton

Roy Lichtenstien, Image Duplicator

(1963)

Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstroke (1965)

Tom Wesselmann, Still Life no.

20 (1962)

Tom Wesselmann, Great American Nude No. 99 (1968)

James Rosenquist,

I Love You With My Ford (1961)

James Rosenquist, Marilyn Monroe

(1962)

Rosalyn Drexler, Marilyn Pursued By

Death (1963)

Andy Warhol, Green Marilyn

(1962)

Andy Warhol 1928-1987

Andy Warhol, Brillo Box

(1964)

Andy Warhol, Orange Marilyn

(1964)

Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych (1962)

Andy Warhol, 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962)

Claes Oldenburg, Store (1961)

Yayoi Kusama for Louis Vuitton

200 Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962)

Campbell’s Soup Can (1964)

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol, Tunafish Disaster

(1963) silkscreen print

Tunafish Disaster (1962)

Andy Warhol, 129 Die in Jet

(1962)

“I realized that everything I was doing must have been Death.”

-Andy Warhol

Robert C. Wiles, 1947, Life Magazine

“At the bottom of the Empire State Building the body of Evelyn McHale reposes calmly in grotesque bier, her falling body punched into the top of a car”

Andy Warhol, Suicide (Fallen Body) (1962)

Frida Kahlo, The Suicide of Dorothy Hale (1938)

Andy Warhol, Suicide (1964)

Andy Warhol, Green Car Crash (Green Burning

Car) (1963)

1963

Andy Warhol, Green Car Crash (Green Burning

Car) (1963)

Andy Warhol, Pink Car Crash (1963)

But, so soon as it steps forth as a commodity, it is changed into something transcendent…

Andy Warhol, Big Electric Chair

(1967)

Andy Warhol, Electric Chair

(1967)

Cildo Meireles, Insertions into Ideological Circuits: Coca-Cola Project (1970)