Sometimes I think there’s a place you’ve just got to know about and my Public Service Announcements (PSAs) will give you the full skinny.
I’ve always seen Andy Warhol involved as a few pieces in modern/pop art exhibits, but Whitney currently has an exhibition devoted entirely to the Studio 54 mainstay. And it’s fabulous.
I loved learning about Warhol’s journey to becoming the artist we’re familiar with. His style evolved to become those soup cans we all know and love – that wasn’t just a fluke. First, he started in advertising. He has a formal background that served as the foundation that allowed him go wild later. Also, that screen printing for which he’s famous may look easy, but it’s far from it. It took many attempts before getting it just right. And even the simple reproduction of a photograph has meaning. He didn’t choose his subjects out of thin air – it was all a specific social or political commentary. Once a piece was explained to me, I got it. I respected him more and felt super smart and artsy.
I knew he used unique mediums, but he was far more experimental than I realized. He used video to create false screen tests as a commentary on consumerism and marketing; he partnered with Basquiat for art du jour; he took a subject outside the studio and into a photo booth in Times Square to capture her flirty essence; he dabbled in performance art with a vacuum cleaner; he painted with urine to see how the pH levels would react with metallic paint for a unique result on canvas; and, of course, he created Interview magazine.
The cost of entry is $25 – a small price to pat for a truly amazing collection of art by one of the most unique modern artists in history. While the Warhol exhibit is the star right now, your ticket grants entry to the entire museum, so feel free to explore the other art on display.
It’s around through March so make sure you get yourself there ASAP!
Peaches to Apples 