From the latest Emmy-nominated Netflix series ‘The Andy Warhol Diaries’ to the upcoming film ‘The Collaboration’, Warhol continues to be one of the most celebrated artists in the world. Nearly forty years after the American pop artist’s death, how has he remained so relevant to contemporary culture and why is he still so revered?
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928, Warhol grew up in Catholic family to working class Austro-Hungary emigrant parents. He first launched his creative career as a commercial illustrator and quickly became very successful in this role. His time working as a graphic artist for famous fashion brands transformed the way he approached the art industry and ultimately led him to his revolutionary ethos of synthesising art and commerce, in a style that we now refer to as pop art.
Prior to pop, American art was considered by many to be elitist. In the 1940s and 1950s, artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko dominated the art world, with their Abstract Expressionist paintings. Characterised by sweeping brush-strokes and spontaneous mark-making, these artworks seemed reserved for the art-educated and were inaccessible to the everyday viewer. However, when Warhol came onto the scene in the 1960s, everything changed.
Glorifying the everyday object through his art, Warhol created paintings, prints and installations that anyone and everyone could relate to. They featured well-known brands such as Coca-Cola, Campbell’s soup and Brillo soap pads. This was a revolutionary move that not only collapsed the distinction between art and consumerism but also promoted the idea of universally accessible artwork. Both these ideas still impact the industry today and contribute towards Warhol’s ongoing legacy.
In addition, the artist also explored the idea of celebrity throughout his practice. He reproduced iconic images of movie stars and political figures like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy with his silk-screen printing method, turning pages of tabloids into fine art. His obsession with the idea of fame permeated both his work and his personal life with his studio,‘The Factory’, welcoming the likes of Mick Jagger, Liza Minnelli and Keith Richards. Warhol’s fascination with the idea of celebrity was prophetic of culture today which makes his work enduringly pertinent. In a society littered with reality tv shows and social media stars, Warhol’s widely attributed quote "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” has never seemed so relevant.