Kent State, 1970

As a painter and collage artist, Richard Hamilton is highly recognised as the founder of Pop Art – a lollipop from one of his earliest collages gave the style its name, and his work outlined many of the ideals and aims that now define the movement. Hamilton’s most notable works include his early piece - Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? - the piece depicts a muscly man posing provocatively with a Tootsie Pop, alongside a bare-breasted woman wearing a lampshade for a hat; both of these figures are surrounded by 1950’s emblems of affluence such as canned ham and a vacuum cleaner. Throughout his career, Hamilton experimented with numerous materials including acrylic glass, plasticisers and plywood – extreme care was taken to preserve the plastics used in his work after previous complications had led to certain works being damaged.