ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Mark Francis and Hal Foster Define Pop Art's Core Traits

publication · 2026-04-23

In a 2007 article for Artpress, Mark Francis and Hal Foster delineate the essential characteristics of Pop art: it is popular, ephemeral, replaceable, cheap, mass-produced, young, witty, sexy, gimmicky, glamorous, and profitable. They conclude with the assertion that this is only the beginning of the movement's evolution.

Key facts

  • Pop art is designed for a mass audience.
  • It is intentionally short-lived and quickly forgotten.
  • The movement emphasizes low cost and serial production.
  • Pop art targets youth culture.
  • It is characterized as witty, sexy, gimmicky, and glamorous.
  • The authors note Pop art is a lucrative business.
  • The article was published in Artpress in 2007.
  • Mark Francis and Hal Foster are the authors.

Entities

Artists

  • Mark Francis
  • Hal Foster

Institutions

  • Artpress

Sources