ANDY WARHOL. Research & Analysis

ANDY WARHOL. Research & Analysis

Who is he? Andy Warhol, born Andrew Warhola was an American artist who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture, and advertising, and utilize a variety of media, including painting, silkscreening, photography, film, and sculpture.

Some of his best known works include: Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) Marilyn Diptych (1962)

Early Life. Warhol was born on August 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were emigrants from Slovakia. Parents Warhol's father worked in a coal mine while his mother, Julia Warhola was a housewife. She was the single most influential person in Andy s life. Her creative talents were the main source of Andy s artistic genius.

Early Life. Medical Condition At the age of 8, Warhol had a nervous system disease that causes involuntary movements of the extremities and scarlet fever which causes skin pigmentation blotchiness. He became a hypochondriac, developing a fear of hospitals and doctors. At times when he was confined to bed, he drew, collected pictures of movie stars around his bed. His mother further instilled the creative process by giving him a camera when he was nine. Warhol later described this period as very important in the development of his personality, skill-set and preferences.

Early Life. Education After graduating from Schenley High School in 1945, he enrolled in the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, where he studied commercial art. His primary ambition was to become a fine artist and possibly teach art like some of his professors.

Artistic Career. 1950s: Illustrator When he graduated from college with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1949, Warhol moved to New York City to pursue a career as a commercial artist. Andy s blotted line technique and his superb draftsmanship caught the eyes of numerous art directors. Throughout the 1950s he was prolific in illustrating fashion ads, books, record albums and many other promotional items for major fashion magazines, including Glamour, Vogue, and Harpers Bazaar.

Artistic Career. 1960s: Fine Artist The advertising world of the 1950s groomed him well for his venture into the art world of the 60s. In 1961, he debuted the concept of "pop art" paintings that focused on mass produced commercial goods. Warhol began to make paintings of iconic American objects such as Campbell's Soup Cans, Coca-Cola bottles, celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley etc. These small canvas works of everyday consumer products created a major stir in the art world.

Artistic Career. The Silver Factory he founded his studio, "The Factory" and gathered about him a wide range of artists, writers, musicians, and underground celebrities. His work became popular and controversial. Warhol began experimenting with film in 1963. he produced 600 films between 1963 and 1976, most starring those whom he called the Warholstars, an eccentric and eclectic group of friends who frequented the Factory and were known for their unconventional lifestyle.

Controversy Assassination He was nearly killed by Valerie Solanas who had been turned away from the Factory after asking for the return of a script she had given to Warhol. That near death experience would change him and his world forever. Warhol would never again trust the kinds of people he had let into his world during the height of the Factory.

If you want to know all about me, just look at the surface of my paintings and me, and there I am. There s nothing behind it. - Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol? Andy Warhol had a unique personality. He was bedridden for a major part of his childhood. He was a loner and didn t have many friends. He credits this turbulent period of his childhood for shaping up his personality. 1.Over-the-top Persona He developed a persona that would allow him to become famous himself. Instead of fighting against his natural shyness and strange appearance, normally bad qualities for acquiring fame, he heightened them and made them larger than life. He became deadpan and impossibly cool in interviews. 2. A Sense of Mystery The air of superficiality Warhol demonstrated led to a sense that he was hiding something, to an air of mystery which drew people to him.

Andy Warhol? 3. He loved big personalities He loved rich socialites but he also loved drug addicts, hustlers, drag queens, and other extreme personalities from the fringes of society. They found a haven at Warhol s Factory and many of them participated sexual and drug-fueled excess, to which Warhol preferred to observe and not participate

Andy Warhol? 4. Strange coldness and indifference towards the death of others Various members of the factory, including most famously Edie Sedgwick, would fall pray to their lifestyle and die from excesses. Warhol did nothing to stop their downward spiral, and showed very little in the way of sympathy when they died.

Andy Warhol? 5. Just an act? To me, the superficiality, coldness, and passivity he exhibited was a carefully constructed distraction from the real Warhol who was capable of real depth and profundity. Many people forget that Warhol was a very religious person; a devout catholic throughout his life and someone who loved his mother dearly and lived and cared for her through the last years of her life.

Andy Warhol? 6. Insecure about his appearance Warhol had an interesting sense of style; After having been told he had lazy eyes, he wore opaque glasses that had a tiny pinhole for him to see through. he wore silver wigs to cover up his early male pattern baldness and gradually graying hair. But Warhol's wig was more than just a cover-up for baldness. He was tortured by his appearance, as he had an "image of himself as severely flawed." Warhol's desire to alter his appearance related to a belief that ugliness was a barrier to both fame and to erotic encounters.

If Andy Warhol was alive...

Sacred Artifacts 1. Medicines and Drugs hypochondriac, a fear of hospitals and doctors. He might keep medicines and drugs to avoid going to the doctor. 2. Julia Warhola s drawings He loved his mother and she was the most influential person in Warhol s life. He might keep her drawings to remember her.

Sacred Artifacts 3. Film Camera The first camera that his mother got for him, hence it was a significance artifact. 4. Film Rolls/Photos of celebrities He might keep film rolls that he used to documented down everything he filmed since he was so obsessed with celebrities and his friends.

Sacred Artifacts 5. Newspapers/Flyers/Magazine He was obsessed with mass media. His artworks were mostly based on pop culture and advertisements. He might keep these items for reference and inspiration. 6. 3 Bullets He was greatly affected by the near death experience, he might want to keep the bullets as a reminder to keep himself away from people like Valerie Solanas.

Sacred Artifacts 7. Silver Wigs 8. Opague Glasses He was insecured about his appearance. The silver wig and the opague glases were important/iconic artifacts that he used to covered his insecurities.