NeoPop

neoPop is a contested umbrella term for a contemporary art and design movement that reinterprets classic pop art for the digital and post-internet era. The term is used in critical writing since the early 2000s, and does not denote a single cohesive school; rather, it describes a family of practices that foreground imagery drawn from mass media, consumer branding, and digital culture. Works often juxtapose commercial aesthetics with critical or ironic commentary.

Key characteristics include: luminous palettes, flat fields of color, bold outlines, and essayistic appropriation of logos and icons. Techniques range from painting and sculpture to digital collage, algorithmic generation, 3D printing, and augmented reality. Emphasis on rapid production and circulation, often via online platforms, mirrors the speed of contemporary consumer culture. The movement frequently blends high and low culture, borrowing from advertising, fashion, and street art.

Origins and development: influenced by Pop Art and postmodern approaches, neoPop crystallized in global urban centers as artists experimented with the permeability between online and offline experiences. Notable practices include remixing public domain images, collaborating with brands, and creating interactive installations. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with neo-pop, new pop, or post-pop to describe related tendencies.

Reception and impact: critics debate whether neoPop offers substantive critique or primarily cosmetic appeal. Proponents argue it makes media-saturated life legible and invites broader audiences to engage with art. In design and fashion, neoPop aesthetics have influenced branding, merchandising, and visual culture, contributing to a broader vogue for bright, referential imagery.