Whether you like him or not, you have probably heard of pop art artist Andy Warhol. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol created paintings, films and silkscreen prints. When most people think of Warhol, they think of his famous “Campbell’s Soup Cans,” his bright yellow banana painting or fluorescent silk screens of Marilyn Monroe. However, a trip to George Washington University’s Luther W. Brady Art Gallery reveals a new side of the notorious socialite.
The exhibit, “Warhol: Photographs from the GW Permanent Collection,” features Polaroid and black and white photographs by Warhol. Many of the pieces were not Warhol’s final images. According to the president of the Andy Warhol Foundation Joel Wachs, the exhibit consists of an “important yet relatively unknown body of Andy Warhol’s work.” Most of the pieces came as a gift to GW from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The university received his works as part of the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program, which aims to introduce Warhol to young people. The curators of the gallery emphasized that this exhibit is unique because it demonstrates the depth of his work, his process of creation and the notion that he was not just a silkscreen artist.
Among some of the most recognizable faces in the pieces are Edward Kennedy, Tara Tyson, Mary Martin and Truman Capote. The photograph of Kennedy, a small but interesting Polaroid, was a step in Warhol’s process of creating a campaign poster for Kennedy in the late ‘70s. Warhol was intrigued with politicians, especially the glamorous, idolized Kennedys. One curator confessed that Warhol was obsessed with celebrities and popularized the quote, “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.” Warhol’s diary entries, which are also on display at the exhibit, give context to what he was thinking and reveal the details of the wild life he lived. Out almost every night of the week, Warhol was a big part of Manhattan’s celebrity scene and one of the first artists to brand himself.
Quaint, quiet and intimate, the gallery includes 16 pieces that are relatively unknown to the average Warhol fan. The introduction to the exhibit includes Warhol’s Polaroid of the popular puppet, Howdy Doody. Warhol captures a unique angle as the puppet’s head is tilted to the side. Even more interesting is Warhol’s partnership with Absolut Vodka. The exhibit shows examples of colorful, whimsical ads that Warhol designed during the ‘70s.
Beyond art created by Warhol, the exhibit is also home to several other paintings, photographs and articles of clothing by other artists that Warhol’s style has influenced. Warhol is known for turning ordinary objects into iconic, colorful images. Lee Newman, an American University alum, famous painter and printmaker, has a piece in the exhibit. His oil painting “Hamburger” turns an ordinary sandwich into a vibrant, detailed spectacle. According to the curators, significant research went into preparing the showing. They searched for pieces that would be culturally relevant to accompany and complement Warhol’s images. While these pieces are powerful and interesting, the prints from Warhol are what truly make the exhibit. “To become a Warhol was to become an icon,” the curator said.
This free Warhol exhibit will be on display through March 5 on the second floor of GW’s Media and Public Affairs building and is less than a 10-minute walk from the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
