Meet the People 1948

Eduardo Paolozzi’s collage "Meet the People" assembles images that offer a window into the symbols of popular culture. Here, we see the smiling face of Lucille Ball, an icon of American television, juxtaposed with images of consumer goods and cartoon characters. The assembly of images from popular culture suggests a narrative of desire and consumerism. This resonates with earlier traditions of still life painting, where objects were arranged to symbolize worldly pleasures. Consider the vanitas paintings of the Dutch Golden Age: skulls, decaying fruit, and wilting flowers were used to symbolize the transience of earthly life, and these were often presented alongside objects associated with prosperity and power. This juxtaposition served as a reminder of the fleeting nature of existence and the futility of material pursuits. In Paolozzi's collage, Lucille Ball and Minnie Mouse are cultural emblems, a modern iteration of the symbols that once adorned classical allegories. This assemblage compels us to explore how these icons mirror our desires and influence our collective consciousness.