Everything We Loved About Andy Warhol At The Tate Modern Andy Warhol (1928–87) was one of the most recognisable artists of the late 20th century, yet his life and work continue to fascinate and be interpreted today. As a shy, gay man from a religious, migrant household, he forged his own path to emerge as the epitome of the pop art movement. Featuring over 100 works from across his career, this major exhibition at the Tate Modern offers visitors a rare insight into how Warhol marked a period of cultural transformation – and it’s not too late to see it. Here are some of the highlights we enjoyed and key things we learned about the artist. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Self Portrait 1986 SLEEP Warhol was renowned for using his personal relationships as a source of inspiration, and Sleep was his first serious film, starring his lover at the time, poet John Giorno. Shot with a 16mm camera and edited by Sarah Dalton, the film repeats many scenes in slow motion, giving it a dream-like feel. By documenting a single action with no narrative, Warhol turned film into something that could be treated like a painting hanging on the wall. SLEEP Warhol was renowned for using his personal relationships as a source of inspiration, and Sleep was his first serious film, starring his lover at the time, poet John Giorno. Shot with a 16mm camera and edited by Sarah Dalton, the film repeats many scenes in slow motion, giving it a dream-like feel. By documenting a single action with no narrative, Warhol turned film into something that could be treated like a painting hanging on the wall. John Giorno said that Warhol got around the homophobia of the art world ‘by making the movie Sleep into an abstract painting: the body of a man as a field of light and shadow.’ Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Debbie Harry 1980 POP ART Although he was already a successful illustrator, Warhol still wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. Inspired by the new wave art of New York galleries in 1960, he started to create hand-painted pictures drawing together advertising imagery with expressive painting. This soon developed into the clean graphic style we know as Pop Art. Warhol then wanted to speed up the process of duplicating his work, so in 1962 he adopted the technique of screen printing, using photographs from newspapers and magazines of traumatic scenes. Whilst this process removed the artist’s hand, Warhol often allowed his screen to be over or under-inked, creating effects that disrupted the images. POP ART Although he was already a successful illustrator, Warhol still wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. Inspired by the new wave art of New York galleries in 1960, he started to create hand-painted pictures drawing together advertising imagery with expressive painting. This soon developed into the clean graphic style we know as Pop Art. Warhol then wanted to speed up the process of duplicating his work, so in 1962 he adopted the technique of screen printing, using photographs from newspapers and magazines of traumatic scenes. Whilst this process removed the artist’s hand, Warhol often allowed his screen to be over or under-inked, creating effects that disrupted the images. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Debbie Harry 1980 Warhol said creating Pop Art was like ‘being a machine’ and that ‘everybody should be a machine’ as machines don’t discriminate. Warhol’s notions of queerness, as well as his work on consumer objects, news images and celebrities spoke to a decade of social change. Andy Warhol (1928–1987), Sixty Last Suppers, 1986 THE FACTORY A huge part of Warhol’s fame and allure was built through the ‘Factory,’ which was set up in 1963 as an experimental art studio and social space. Covered in silver paint and foil, it was the setting for the mass production of his silkscreen canvases and the site of his new interest in underground film making. Warhol documented the people who passed through the factory in his Screen Tests, which were intended as film portraits, where subjects had to sit in front of the camera with nothing to do but endure its gaze. Ignoring traditional methods of filming, they usually featured his ‘superstars’ including the likes of Edie Sedgwick and Bob Dylan. By the mid-1960s, the Factory scene had become a form of living artwork as famous and controversial as Warhol’s paintings. THE FACTORY A huge part of Warhol’s fame and allure was built through the ‘Factory,’ which was set up in 1963 as an experimental art studio and social space. Covered in silver paint and foil, it was the setting for the mass production of his silkscreen canvases and the site of his new interest in underground film making. Warhol documented the people who passed through the factory in his Screen Tests, which were intended as film portraits, where subjects had to sit in front of the camera with nothing to do but endure its gaze. Ignoring traditional methods of filming, they usually featured his ‘superstars’ including the likes of Edie Sedgwick and Bob Dylan. By the mid-1960s, the Factory scene had become a form of living artwork as famous and controversial as Warhol’s paintings. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Hammer and Sickle 1976, Museum Brandhorst EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE With members of the Factory, Warhol turned his attention to combining film with performance and music and in 1966, he organised a series of multimedia shows (including Up-Tight with Andy Warhol and Exploding Plastic Inevitable or EPI, featuring The Velvet Underground). The shows used new technology that has now become standard practice at a lot of concerts, yet at the time (although the technology was fascinating) they managed to almost alienate their audiences. EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE With members of the Factory, Warhol turned his attention to combining film with performance and music and in 1966, he organised a series of multimedia shows (including Up-Tight with Andy Warhol and Exploding Plastic Inevitable or EPI, featuring The Velvet Underground). The shows used new technology that has now become standard practice at a lot of concerts, yet at the time (although the technology was fascinating) they managed to almost alienate their audiences. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Hammer and Sickle 1976, Museum Brandhorst Velvet Underground singer Lou reed described it as ‘a show by and for freaks.’ Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Green Coca-Cola Bottles 1962, Whitney Museum of American THE SHOOTING At the beginning of 1968, the Factory moved to a new site on Union Square and Warhol declared the ‘silver’ period over, stating ‘we were into white now.’ The new Factory was dedicated to his magazine Interview and his film production. On 3rd June, the writer Valerie Solanas came into the Factory and shot Warhol in the chest and abdomen, damaging his internal organs. Warhol was rushed to hospital where he was declared clinically dead, but doctors managed to revive him. Valerie Solanas had been part of the Factory scene for a while, giving Warhol the script for her play Up Your Ass, which was mislaid. She accused Warhol of stealing her ideas. The shooting brought increased scrutiny of Warhol’s lifestyle and he never fully recovered from the incident. He stopped the open-door policy at the factory and became constantly nervous around people he didn’t know. THE SHOOTING At the beginning of 1968, the Factory moved to a new site on Union Square and Warhol declared the ‘silver’ period over, stating ‘we were into white now.’ The new Factory was dedicated to his magazine Interview and his film production. On 3rd June, the writer Valerie Solanas came into the Factory and shot Warhol in the chest and abdomen, damaging his internal organs. Warhol was rushed to hospital where he was declared clinically dead, but doctors managed to revive him. Valerie Solanas had been part of the Factory scene for a while, giving Warhol the script for her play Up Your Ass, which was mislaid. She accused Warhol of stealing her ideas. The shooting brought increased scrutiny of Warhol’s lifestyle and he never fully recovered from the incident. He stopped the open-door policy at the factory and became constantly nervous around people he didn’t know. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Ladies and Gentlemen LADIES AND GENTLEMEN In 1975 Warhol produced a series featuring anonymous Black and Latinx drag queens and trans women, who were recruited via Warhol’s friends and from local drag bars. They all posed for free. Warhol took over 500 photographs of 14 models and then enlarged a selection onto silkscreens, exploring performance, glamour and personality. There have been questions around the ethics of this series however, as it documents a community he was not part of and the subjects had little agency in how they were depicted, or where the work would be displayed. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN In 1975 Warhol produced a series featuring anonymous Black and Latinx drag queens and trans women, who were recruited via Warhol’s friends and from local drag bars. They all posed for free. Warhol took over 500 photographs of 14 models and then enlarged a selection onto silkscreens, exploring performance, glamour and personality. There have been questions around the ethics of this series however, as it documents a community he was not part of and the subjects had little agency in how they were depicted, or where the work would be displayed. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), Ladies and Gentlemen MORE LIKE THIS Arts & Culture 5 Ways To Get Creative At Home Here are five creative ideas to keep you busy this spring - plus the Instagram accounts to turn to for ...read more Arts & Culture 15 Uplifting Instagram Accounts To Add A Dose Of Positivity To Your Feed Whether you’re looking to escape for half an hour to de-stress or for sharp-witted memes to share with friends – ...read more Arts & Culture 5 Tips For Staying Healthy At Home We caught up with the wellness team at MobGroup about staying active and healthy whilst working from home.read more