This art is popping off the walls of Kelowna's art gallery

An art movement targeting consumerism from the 1960s is having a resurgence today, with a focus on activism.

It can be seen in a new pop art exhibition at the Kelowna Art Gallery, which features 75 works from artists like Andy Warhol and Banksy.

“[Pop art] challenged the status quo,” curator, Christine May, told Kelowna10. “Nowadays, pop art is kind of an activist movement in some ways, making comments on political issues and very contemporary, timely issues.”

From Andy Warhol’s infamous Marilyn Monroe screen prints to Banksy’s guerilla street art, ideas of consumerism and activism blur the lines between low and high art.

“In addition to the meaning behind the work, pop art is fun and draws inspiration from our everyday life,” May said. “I find it intriguing, and it definitely jumps off the walls in this exhibition.”

Viewers are able to learn about the different inspirations each artist drew upon. For example, Warhol focuses more on consumerism, whereas Banksy commentates on war and activism, but most pieces still relate to social consciousness.

Other artists featured include Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, Tom Wesselmann, Takashi Murakami, and Mr. Brainwash.

“What I found most interesting is that we were planning this exhibition around the time that Andy Warhol’s Marilyn sold for $195 million at auction,” Nataley Nagy, executive director of the art gallery said. “Not the work that’s here, but an image of the same work, so we were also pretty stoked to see that it’s come back, the sixties, and there’s a lot of interest in purchasing and viewing the work.”

Nagy said she hopes this exhibition will bring in people throughout the summer who might not have been to the gallery before.

“We needed something to lift our spirits after COVID and because we had a local collector whose enormous collection was just there, we decided it would be a really good uplifting exhibition,” she explained. “We’re excited about people coming to see it, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The pieces are from Paul and Tracy Mitchell’s private collection.

From Warhol to Banksy runs until Oct. 16.