MAX ANDERSON: Roy Lichtenstein created this painting of a woman
for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Architect Philip Johnson
designed one of the fair’s pavilions and invited leading
contemporary artists to create works that would hang on the
exterior of his building. Michael Lobel, author of Image
Duplicator: Roy Lichtenstein and the Emergence of Pop Art:
MICHAEL LOBEL: When you look at this painting, what you have to
understand is that this was a study for a much larger painting.
The mural on the façade of the pavilion was in fact 24 by 16
feet, so a large mural. The fair opened in the summer of 1964.
As all the World’s Fairs were, this was a celebration of
American culture, technological progress and innovation. MAX
ANDERSON: The 1964 World’s Fair featured many works of Pop
Art—embracing the movement’s new, bold style and interest in
commercial images. Initially, though, Americans struggled to
come to terms with the new movement. Many considered
advertisements and comic strips as not worthy of being arti