Andy+Warhol

Adam Rukin & Danny Bodner Mr. Burkhart American History 5.20.11

Background Information and Overview
Born on August 6, 1928, Andrew Warhola, later changed to Warhol, was a commercial designer, printmaker, painter, filmmaker, and publisher. As the 1960's emerged, so did Popular Art, with Mr. Warhol as its most predominent figure. He attempted to take Pop beyond an artistic style to one that could produce a life style. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Andy had significant leeway with his decisions, as his parents were immigrants and the youngest of three sons. At the age of 8, Andy's father died. This heartbreak and the difficulties of the depression in the 1930's influenced him to work diligently. Eventually graduating from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Institute of Technology in pictorial design, he decided to take his talents to NYC. Andy got the odds and ends of a graphic design job for various magazines as well as designing advertisements. This is when he first got recognition for his worhi jamie ime job creating album covers for RCA Records. He later went on to dye his hair a distinctive silver. From then on, the methodical, self described pariah, went on to be on the of the most influential and talked about artists of the 20th century.

When
Born August 6, 1928. Dead at the age of 58 on February 22, 1987 He began exhibiting his work during the 1950s. His first New York solo pop art exhibition hosted at Eleanor Ward's Stable Gallery November 6–24, 1962. New York's Museum of Modern Art hosted a Symposium on pop art in December 1962 On June 3, 1968, Valerie Solanas attempted to murder Andy when he shot Warhol at a studio. Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art, established in 1991 by Warhol's brother John Warhola,

1950's - The US begins to learn of the talents A.W. had acquired. He preferred simple ink to draw shoe advertisements 1960's - Began painting iconic American products as well as portraits of celebrities. He founded The Factory where he started using silkscreen methods. Also, produced his first film 1963, Sleep. 1970's - Much quieter as he focused on his entrepreneurship. Made book and small film deals as he learned to take advantage of the people he met in the art world to increase his income. 1980's - He became a business artist as his financial status grew. He contributed greatly to influencing the younger generation to progress popular art and culture. Now a celebrity, he got the opportunity to write a skit for Saturday Night Live. His final exhibition opened in January of 1987, one month before his death.

The repetition used in the painting of Elvis during his hey-day was bought for $100 million in 2008. The most ever paid for a Warhol piece.

Where
Andy Warhol had an enormous impact not only in New York where his career took off, but on the entire world. Some say he set out to move the center of western art from Paris to New York City, and from many accounts, succeeded. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to two immigrant parents from Slovakia. He studied commercial art at the School of Fine Arts at Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh. His first Factory was located on 1342 Lexington Avenue. He would later go on to be in eight different buildings, the last on 158 Madison Avenue. He died in New York City, New York. The Andy Warhol Museum is located on 117 Sandusky Street in Pittsburgh, PA. Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art is located in the small town of Medzilaborce, Slovakia. Warhol's parents and his two eldest brothers were born 15 kilometres away in the village of Miková. **How** As his career began he started as to illustrate drawings for //Glamour// Magazine. Soon he started painting comic book characters, such as Popeye and Superman, and he also painted everyday items such as Campbell's Soup cans. Warhol then opened a studio named The Factory where he mass produced his extremely popular items. The Factory became very popular and by this time in his life he was considered a celebrity. He introduced America to a new way of life through art. Warhol caught the attention of an entire generation by expressing his creativity on thousands of canvas spanned over decades. He was able to reach out to the art community in ways never seen before. His involvement in the formation of pop art brought whole new parameters of exactly what was going to be accepted, through first hand examples of his paintings, films, sculptures, and other arts.

Why
As a child Andy Warhol enjoyed art just as much as the next kid. Scissors, the glue stick, crayons, a coloring book... you name it and he would be just as excited as the day before to eagerly create something. Everytime Andy completed a page in his coloring book, his mother, Julia Warhola, would give him a chocolate bar for encouragement. In high school, Warhol was a quiet kid who took many art classes and always walked around with a sketch book. After rough childhood years he graduated from college majoring in pictorial design. With this degree, Warhol was on the right path to stardom. A little polishing such as getting to know his surroundings and learning to listen to others around him vaulted him to set forth a revolutionary movement put in motion by his abstract expressionism portrayed in his art. The man’s lofty goal to focus the center of the western art world in NYC is the same determination he instilled to make sure pop art would become no mere style but a lifestyle.

Quotes
“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself” “I'm afraid that if you look at a thing long enough, it loses all of its meaning.” “An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them.”

15 minutes of fame is short-lived, often ephemeral, media publicity or celebrity of an individual or phenomenon. The expression was coined by Andy Warhol, who said in 1968 that "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."

Gallery