The Coca Cola Girls series is an excellent example of Alex Katz’s work, influenced heavily by pop culture and advertising. This series draws inspiration from the evolution of Coca-Cola’s advertising imagery between the 1890s and 1960s, where bold and daring representations of women became integral to the brand’s identity. Initially, Coca-Cola's advertisements featured discreet and modest images of women. However, with the advent of World War I and the rise of the pin-up aesthetic, these depictions transformed into images of confident female soldiers in uniform and sporty women in casual wear, reflecting changing societal norms.
These pre-television advertisements naturally exerted an enormous cultural and social influence on the visual language of the American urban landscape. Katz himself has commented on the impact of this imagery, noting, “That’s Coca-Cola red, from the company’s outdoor signs in the fifties… you know, the blond girl in the red convertible, laughing with unlimited happiness. It’s a romance image, and for me, it has to do with Rembrandt’s The Polish Rider.” Katz’s reference to this painting highlights the romantic and idealized nature of the Coca-Cola advertisements, which resonated deeply with American viewers, just as Rembrandt’s work did with his contemporaries.
In his Coca Cola Girls series, Katz deconstructs these inherited cultural and economic narratives, presenting them within the context of contemporary art. The homogeneous and strong red backgrounds, a nod to the iconic Coca-Cola color, contrast beautifully with the white swimsuits of the exceptionally attractive women featured in his paintings. This stark contrast not only emphasizes the visual impact desired in advertising but also serves as a commentary on the nature of commercial imagery and its pervasive influence on American culture.
By elevating these everyday commercial images to the realm of fine art, Katz challenges viewers to reconsider the role of advertising in shaping public perceptions and the broader cultural landscape. His Coca Cola Girls series, with its vibrant colors, confident subjects, and poignant commentary, encapsulates an important aspect of American history and art, bridging the gap between popular culture and high art in a uniquely compelling manner.