Memorabilia -> Entertainment Memorabilia
Andy Warhol paintings today are housed in museums, owned by private collectors and released as prints for public consumption. He was born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928. Though he died in 1987 from complications after gall bladder surgery, his name is still well known today. He’s known as the father of Pop Art, an artistic movement that began to take shape in the 1960s. He also published books and made dozens of short homoerotic films that were often premiered in gay movie theaters.
The famous phrase “15 minutes of fame” was coined by Warhol, who himself was fascinated by celebrities and pop culture. He began his career in the 1960s as a commercial artist and illustrator, and met with resistance when he attempted a career as a serious artist because of his vast commercial work. When his artwork provided the debut of pop art on the West Coast in 1962 in LA, the Andy Warhol paintings on display featured Campbell’s Soup cans, dollars bills, Coke bottles and his very famous brightly-colored portrayal of Marilyn Monroe.
Andy Warhol paintings often depicted celebrities like Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, and were less paintings than reproductions of their photos in almost Day-Glo colors. His artwork was produced via silk-screening which allowed for mass-production, and allowed anyone in his studio, which he called The Factory, to be able to create it.
Andy Warhol paintings became popular very quickly, but they were also controversial because of the method he used to make them and their subject matter. Some of his artwork featured stylized pictures taken right from the headlines, like a picture of a mushroom cloud and civil rights protesters being attacked by police dogs. Anything in American pop culture was fair game for Warhol’s analysis.
With the rise in popularity of Andy Warhol paintings came public discussions about whether or not pop art was really art at all. And two days before Robert Kennedy’s assassination, one of Warhol’s “factory” workers shot him and an art critic at his studio. Warhol nearly died as a result, and few doubt that the shooting affected his life and work from then on.
In the 1970s, Andy Warhol paintings were often of pop culture celebrities like Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, John Lennon and Liza Minelli. His work became more popular again in the 1980s even as it was more openly criticized as being shallow and without depth or a true understanding of its subject.
Andy Warhol paintings, though, as many critics realize now, were meant to be not just pieces of art but an accurate reflection of the “surface” pop culture, with what appeared to be merely surface treatments of its subjects. He was also criticized for being in the “business” of art. But he described making money as art, and good business as the best art of all.
Andy Warhol paintings cost thousands of dollars, but his books, prints of his paintings, his avant-garde short films and other memorabilia can be found online in auctions and specialty shops.
Originally posted 2008-12-09 05:00:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Bon Jovi Posters Memorabilia -> Music Memorabilia -> Rock, Pop-> Bon Jovi One of the biggest rock bands of the 1980’s is still popular today and as such, many people are still trying to find their posters. Whether you are a new fan of the group, or you remember a certain poster that...... -
Collecting Sports Autographed Memorabilia One of the keys to sports autographed memorabilia is to know whether or not your sports memorabilia is actually authentic. A lot of people find themselves wondering how they can be able to tell whether or not their sports autographed memorabilia is authentic. The bad news is that it is...... - John Wayne Movies Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia John Wayne movies have been a favorite of movie buffs, Western fans and those who like “tough guys” in their films, for many years. Though John Wayne has been gone for almost 30 years, his presence is still such a part of American culture that almost......
- Pin Up Posters Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia -> Posters Pin up posters might not have the popularity today that they once did, but most people will immediately recognize some of the most popular pin up moments from the heyday of beautiful pin up models. Marilyn Monroe was a pin up queen in her......
-
Collecting Television Memorabilia Ever since the television became a common item in every household across America, television shows have established themselves as a regular part of our everyday lives. We all have personal favorites when it comes to television shows, and we all try to make an effort to follow those favorite shows......
Related Websites -
King of What? I heard of Michael Jackson's death while on vacation in the Swiss Alps. The fact that the news was shocking, but not surprising, added to my sadness. Such talent, so broken. I'm told MJ had been the King of Pop. "The king of what?" I wondered. Considering the nature of...... -
Public Domain Music: Music you already own! Guide to Free Sheet Music on the Web for Music Students & Teachers Many composers, Wolfgang Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven among them, have no living descendants and therefore their works have been bequeathed to the world, and to you. Why then are poor college students required to purchase volume...... - Pop Culture People to Follow on Twitter Twitter can be the fastest way to find out the latest pop culture news. Here are a few of the newsmakers to follow. Perez Hilton. Love him or hate him, he's tweets frequently and he's often got the goods Maggie Furlong, AOL TV's reporter Amy Amatangelo, TV reporter for the......
- Cartoon Capitalism I'm often extremely pessimistic on the state of the US economy. In public settings my doom and gloom predictions seem to depress people so I tend to restrict my rants solely to my blog. So it makes me happy when I read an article that agrees with my thoughts on......
-
Renewing the Folk Music Movement with Acoustic Musical Instruments Seth Lakeman, a folk music star that is nominated for a Mercury Prize has been talking about the acoustic of folk music and acoustic musical instruments. For example, Lily Allen's new single is featuring a banjo solo, which would not have happened in years past but now apparently seems to......
