LISBON – An art movement described by one of its founding fathers, Richard Hamilton, as ephemeral, clever and sexy has arrived to Lisbon, with 122 pieces by some of the biggest names in Pop Art making up the show.

“Stars of Pop Art” delves into the worlds of Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein, among others, the show’s director Ana Cristina Baptista told EFE.

“It was essential (having) a Pop Art exhibition in Lisbon,” Baptista said, adding there is “always lively interest” in the iconic style.

A huge Campbell’s tomato soup can, which Warhol made famous, greets visitors at the entrance of the exhibit, housed at the Cordoaria Nacional gallery.

The first artist shown after the famous can is Jasper Johns, a giant of the Pop genre thanks to his “Flag” series. A United States flag is depicted in green, black and yellow, instead of the usual red, white and blue.

After the flag is Jones’ “Cup to Picasso,” a piece depicting the side profile of the Spanish artist twice, as if looking at himself, positioned in such a way that reveals the outline of a cup.

The next room hosts Robert Rauschenberg’s “Autobiography,” a triptych bringing together text and photos to summarize the artist’s life.

Roy Lichtenstein is present with his Ben-Day dots – a printing process based on pointillism – in some of his most famous pieces, “Hopeless” and “Nudes,” both influenced by the comic book aesthetic.

Finally, the exhibit pays homage to Andy Warhol, who defined the style and believed art should be suitable for everyone.

Decades may have passed since Warhol created his lithographs depicting the stars of the time – from Marilyn Monroe to Mao Tse-Tung and The Beatles – but these iconic pieces continue to stand out.

Warhol raised the profile of everyday images by turning them into art, such as a cow that was inspired by a brand of milk, which gave way to a whole series of prints.

The space also hosts works by Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat and Felix Gonzalez Torres.

The show runs until January.