Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton (1922–2011) was a pioneering figure of British Pop Art whose influence on postwar visual culture is profound. Trained at the Royal Academy Schools and later the Slade School of Fine Art, Hamilton emerged in the 1950s as a key member of the Independent Group, whose discussions on mass media, advertising, and technology helped shape the conceptual foundations of Pop. His seminal collage *Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?* (1956) is often cited as one of the earliest works of the movement.

Hamilton’s practice spanned painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and political art. His works frequently examine the aesthetics of consumerism and the interplay between high and low culture, incorporating imagery from household appliances, Hollywood icons, and contemporary politics. His technical innovation was equally notable: he embraced new printing technologies, digital methods, and industrial materials long before they became common in contemporary art.

Major exhibitions include retrospectives at Tate Modern (2014) and the Museo Reina Sofía (2010), and his works are held in MoMA, Tate, the Centre Pompidou, and countless international collections. Hamilton also collaborated with figures like Marcel Duchamp, producing a definitive reconstruction of Duchamp’s *The Large Glass*. His art remains intellectually agile, socially engaged, and foundational to the development of conceptual and media-driven practices in the late 20th century.