So different, so appealing

       
Richard Hamilton passed away last Tuesday. His all-time classic Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? (1956) in a way started the whole Pop Art movement and defined the collage aesthetics of many architects and artists in the 60s, including Archigram and Superstudio.

If we are to look at our homes today, what has changed? Probably not too much! We are still pretty much at the high point of consumer culture. Just instead of a normal TV, we now have 3D TVs. We are also after designer furniture and new gadgets like exercise bike, Wii, and the iPad. Vacuum cleaner? Now we have iRobot Roomba.

The intangible changes seems to be more significant. An appealing home can also be a gay couple happily living together with a cat. We have moved from the space fantasy of the 60s to the 21st century cyber age. All the electronic devices have an odd company: a greater demand on green features: literally natural, technologically sustainable, and flora-inspired decorative.

I made this collage to pay my tribute to the master. Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? consists of images mainly taken from American magazines (Ladies Home Journal, Tomorrow's Man, Life), cut and glued together manually. Now we do it digitally. The elements in my new collage are all from the internet, assembled with Photoshop. Source websites include eBay, BestBuy, GQ.com, marthastewart.com, Dezeen, etc.