Andy Warhol is one of the most important artists of pop art. He became extremely popular during the second half of the 20^th century. He is best remembered for his paintings of Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe, though he created a myriad of other works including commercial advertisements and films. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s. He was greatly inspired by the bohemian and counterculture lifestyle of his friends and himself. However, Warhol is a controversial artist because many critics criticize him for being merely a “business artist.”

The photo that Robert took of Andy Warhol.

As a kid, he was somewhat of an outcast because he was quiet, could always be found with a sketchbook in his hands, and had shockingly pale skin and white-blonde hair. Warhol also loved to go to movies and started a collection of celebrity memorabilia, especially autographed photos. A number of these pictures appeared in Warhol’s later artwork.

He discovered the blotted-line technique during his college years when he would tape together two pieces of paper, mark one paper with ink, and then fold the two papers in order to replicate the design on the other paper as well. The result was a design with irregular, smudged lines that he would further fill in with watercolor. After college, Warhol moved to New York and became well known for his blotted-line technique during the 1950s. His technique was used for many shoe commercials, book covers, album covers and even Christmas cards.

Around 1960, Warhol had decided to make a name for himself in pop art. Pop art was a new style of art that began in England in the mid-1950s and consisted of realistic renditions of popular, everyday items. Warhol turned away from the blotted-line technique and chose to use paint and canvas but at first he had some trouble deciding what to paint. He paid his friend $50 for the idea to paint a can of soup. This became one of his most famous and expensive works of art.

Unfortunately, Warhol found that he couldn’t make his paintings fast enough on canvas. Luckily in July 1962, he discovered the process of silk screening. This technique uses a specially prepared section of silk as a stencil, allowing one silk-screen to create similar patterns multiple times. He immediately began making paintings of celebrities, most notably a large collection of paintings of Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would use this style for the rest of his life.

During the 1960’s he continued to paint and create pop art, but began to create films as well. In 1968 he was pronounced clinically dead after being shot, but the doctor saved Warhol’s life by cutting his chest open and massaging his heart. He then founded the Interview Magazine that still flourishes to this day. Warhol died 20 years later; he was 58 years old.

In the book Just Kids Patti and Robert admire Warhol. He is sort of an artistic celebrity for them, but a celebrity that they often see in bars and at shows that each of them visits. When Robert became famous for his photographs he made several photos of Andy Warhol.

-Angelika