Andy Warhol

“Repetition adds up to reputation”

—Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

David Benrimon Fine Art is pleased to present a solo-exhibition of Andy Warhol that brings together over 30 iconic works. With a selection spanning from 1955 to 1984, the exhibition features the Pop Master’s various subject matter ranging from early illustrations to later society prints. Arguably one of the most seminal artists of his era, Warhol transformed the landscape of contemporary art. He led the Pop Art movement by challenging preconceived notions about art; he erased the traditional distinctions between fine art and popular culture by using mass media images and consumer culture as the subjects of his work. This revolutionary approach produced some of the most distinguishable works of the 20th century.

This exhibition traces the influence of consumerism and mass media throughout Warhol’s creative practice. Born in 1928 as Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warhol started his career in the 1950’s as a successful commercial artist for magazines and advertisements. His early offset lithographs resemble illustrations. In the early 1960s, Warhol incorporated the mechanical process of silkscreen printmaking into his repertoire to reference the mass production of the era. This method, which features bold neon coloring and graphic contours, allowed Warhol to easily mass produce images he appropriated from popular culture, revealing both the aesthetic properties and cultural influence of media. The process quickly became synonymous with the Pop Art icon. Warhol’s silkscreen depiction of commonplace objects, such as his infamous portfolio of bold Campbell’s Soup Cans, as well as Perrier Bottles, Flowers, and the Dollar Sign, elevates them into the realm of high art.

Over the course of his career, Warhol produced countless ‘society portraits’ that advanced his exploration of fame and affluence, such as Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, Mick Jagger, and Lenin. Warhol reimagined these popular celebrity icons in his bold Pop style. By the 80s, Warhol’s obsession with fame extended to fiction with his “Myths” portfolio that includes celebrated characters Superman, Santa Claus, and Mickey Mouse. Warhol’s masterful, innovative, and transformative printmaking practice blurs the line between painting, and printmaking; fine art and advertisement.

(The show will examine the complexities of the legendary artist 36 years after his death in 1987. Just last year, “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” sold for over $195 million, a record for the artist, and the second highest price ever realized for an artwork at auction.)

Curated by Hana Agolli and Calder McNeil.