Andy Warhol

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Andy Warhol (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop Art. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, culture, and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s. Warhol's art used many types of media, including hand drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, silk screening, sculpture, film, and music.

Early Life

Born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warhol was the son of Slovak immigrants. He showed early talent in drawing and painting. After graduating from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1949 with a degree in pictorial design, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in commercial art.

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Career

Warhol's career in magazine illustration and advertising led to his interest in mass-produced commercial goods. In the early 1960s, he began to create paintings of iconic American objects such as Campbell's Soup Cans and Coca-Cola bottles, as well as celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor. This work, along with his silk-screening technique, would define his future career.

He founded The Factory, his studio during these years, and gathered around him a wide range of artists, writers, musicians, and underground celebrities. He ventured into a wide variety of art forms, including performance art, filmmaking, video installations, and writing, and controversially blurred the lines between fine art and mainstream aesthetics.

Artistic Style

Warhol's art incorporated many types of media and was highly innovative in exploring the concept of art as a commodity. His approach to art production was akin to an assembly line, and this methodology was both criticized and celebrated. He is best known for his silkscreen paintings, but his contributions to film, music, and literature are also significant.

Legacy

Warhol's influence on the art world was profound. He challenged the traditional distinctions between high art and popular culture, and his work is seen as a precursor to movements such as Postmodernism. Today, his works are among the most sought after and expensive in the art market.

Death

Andy Warhol died on February 22, 1987, from complications following gallbladder surgery. His death was unexpected and raised awareness about the importance of gallbladder health.

See Also

• Pop Art
• The Factory
• Silkscreen printing
• Commercial art