I was a toy for a rich man

The Tate Gallery, London (the UK).

Collage.

The work by Eduardo Paolozzi made in the collage technique, slightly smaller than a sheet for a typewriter, was the first work in the style of Pop art that had not emerged by that time yet. From childhood, the artist was fond of American culture; in his collages, he tried to convey the attractiveness of a calm and well-fed life overseas that was so different from the ruined and poor post-war Europe. Most of the collage is occupied by the image of a beautiful girl from advertising, around which several different objects are located, including a pistol with the inscription “Pop”, which means the sound of a shot. The work was first demonstrated in 1952 during a lecture for young artists in London and made an indelible impression on many.