Kaleidoscope of Kitsch

A celebration and sometimes ironic utilization of popular culture artifacts, aesthetics, and styles deemed to be in “poor taste,” often because of their mass-produced, gaudy, or overly sentimental qualities. It’s marked by a curious blend of nostalgia and irony, challenging the lines between “high” and “low” art, embracing elements traditionally seen as garish, cheap, or overtly sentimental. Taking symbols and designs from earlier decades, especially the mid-late 20th century, and repurposed them in contemporary settings, often with a touch of irony. This resurgence in popularity was evident in various mediums, from visual arts to interior design and fashion. Everyday objects, nostalgic imagery from the ’50s to the ’80s, and elements seen as tacky or in bad taste are suddenly celebrated again. The use of vibrant colors, plastic or faux finishes, and a mix of disparate styles as a commentary on consumer culture, mass production, and the fleeting nature of trends, provoking debate about authenticity, artistic value, and the boundaries of taste.

Midjourney Collage Prompt

Nostalgic kitsch collage depicting [subject], popular culture, poor taste, mass-produced, gaudy, sentimental, high art vs low art, irony, garish, repurposed, vibrant colors (of [COLOR]), plastic finishes, faux finishes, consumer culture and mass production, authenticity, artistic value, boundaries of taste —ar 4:3

Midjourney Photography Prompt

Nostalgic kitsch photography depicting [subject], popular culture, poor taste, mass-produced, gaudy, sentimental, high art vs low art, irony, garish, repurposed, vibrant colors (of [COLOR]), plastic finishes, faux finishes, consumer culture and mass production, authenticity, artistic value, boundaries of taste —ar 4:3

Select “collage” for a more graphical, illustrative image (first half of the gallery) or “photography” for a more pure photographic image.
Add a focus color: yellow, tangerine, cobalt, mustard, emerald green, vermilion, lilac,…
Pick a subject: plastic toys, tigers and lions, European city, social media, futuristic robots, cats and dogs