Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol was an American born artist who pioneered the art movement later known as pop art. The art that Warhol contributed most of his life to explored how celebrity culture, artistic expression and advertisement intermingled in their relationships. Before he became a well known and controversial artist, he was a successful commercial artist and illustrator in the graphic design field.
His art covered a wide array of styles including drawing, painting, sculpture, silk screening, film, and photography. He also lead the way for computer generated art in 1984 just two years before his death. He was the founder and editor of Interview magazine and he also authored several books which included "The Philosophy of Andy Warhol" and "Popism: The Warhol Sixties". His studio, known has the factory was a rather important meeting ground for the famous and not so famous to intermingle. Andy was also the subject of many films and documentaries, one of the more famous Warhol portrayals was in the Oliver Stone movie The Doors.
Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928. He was the fourth child born to father Andrew Warhola Sr. and mother Julia Warhola. Warhol had two older brothers, Paul and Jan. Paul the eldest was born in the family's home country of Slovakia and Jan was born in Pittsburgh. Andy would have had three older brothers but the third died before leaving Slovakia in 1921. When he was in the third grade, Andy was diagnosed with a nervous system disease known as St. Vitus Dance that caused of Warhol to have involuntary movements in his arms and legs. As a result of the disease, Warhol became a hypochondriac (the fear of hospitals and doctors). When he was young, Warhol was often confined to his bed because of his illness. In the years he was bedridden, Andy would draw and collect photos of Celebrities. He was not popular in school because of this and became an outcast. His mother was his closest friend. When Warhol was thirteen, his family suffered the tragic loss of their father. Later in life, Warhol described his experiences as a child as important to the development of his personality and skill-set. Warhol began to exhibit his work as an artist in the late fifties. His first shows were in New York at the Hugo Gallery and the Bodley Gallery. He also had shows in California, which was the first look at pop art on the east coast. It was during this time that Warhol had gathered a following of celebrities, writers and musicians in his studio that he named the Factory. As time went on Warhols works that openly embraced the consumer market became more controversial.
Andy Warhol was a major influence to artist everywhere and he changed the meaning of art forever. On February 22, 1987 Warhol died. Everyone thought that he was making a great recovery after a gallbladder surgery, but Warhol died in his sleep of a postoperative heart attack. His body was taken back to his hometown of Pittsburgh by his brothers. Warhol is buried by his mother and father. He will always be remembered as the pioneer of pop art.
List of Famous Works:
"Marilyn Monroe"-1962
"Installation of Campbells Soup Cans"-1962
"Che"-1962
"Campbells Soup Can"-1964
"Electric Chair"-1965
"Atomic Bomb"-1965
"John Wayne"-1986
His art covered a wide array of styles including drawing, painting, sculpture, silk screening, film, and photography. He also lead the way for computer generated art in 1984 just two years before his death. He was the founder and editor of Interview magazine and he also authored several books which included "The Philosophy of Andy Warhol" and "Popism: The Warhol Sixties". His studio, known has the factory was a rather important meeting ground for the famous and not so famous to intermingle. Andy was also the subject of many films and documentaries, one of the more famous Warhol portrayals was in the Oliver Stone movie The Doors.
Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928. He was the fourth child born to father Andrew Warhola Sr. and mother Julia Warhola. Warhol had two older brothers, Paul and Jan. Paul the eldest was born in the family's home country of Slovakia and Jan was born in Pittsburgh. Andy would have had three older brothers but the third died before leaving Slovakia in 1921. When he was in the third grade, Andy was diagnosed with a nervous system disease known as St. Vitus Dance that caused of Warhol to have involuntary movements in his arms and legs. As a result of the disease, Warhol became a hypochondriac (the fear of hospitals and doctors). When he was young, Warhol was often confined to his bed because of his illness. In the years he was bedridden, Andy would draw and collect photos of Celebrities. He was not popular in school because of this and became an outcast. His mother was his closest friend. When Warhol was thirteen, his family suffered the tragic loss of their father. Later in life, Warhol described his experiences as a child as important to the development of his personality and skill-set. Warhol began to exhibit his work as an artist in the late fifties. His first shows were in New York at the Hugo Gallery and the Bodley Gallery. He also had shows in California, which was the first look at pop art on the east coast. It was during this time that Warhol had gathered a following of celebrities, writers and musicians in his studio that he named the Factory. As time went on Warhols works that openly embraced the consumer market became more controversial.
Andy Warhol was a major influence to artist everywhere and he changed the meaning of art forever. On February 22, 1987 Warhol died. Everyone thought that he was making a great recovery after a gallbladder surgery, but Warhol died in his sleep of a postoperative heart attack. His body was taken back to his hometown of Pittsburgh by his brothers. Warhol is buried by his mother and father. He will always be remembered as the pioneer of pop art.
List of Famous Works:
"Marilyn Monroe"-1962
"Installation of Campbells Soup Cans"-1962
"Che"-1962
"Campbells Soup Can"-1964
"Electric Chair"-1965
"Atomic Bomb"-1965
"John Wayne"-1986