Andy Warhol: The Life and Art of the Prince of Pop
Andy Warhol created the most sensational and often controversial art of the 1960's. He appropriated images that Americans knew and loved--like Campbell's soup cans and Coca-Cola--and transformed them into radical and enduring works of art. Andy's art did not give us answers; instead, it raised questions. He gave us a shocking look at what constitutes who we are. In grasping the essence of Pop Art, Warhol's work is completely about the spirit of culture in modern society.
Andrew Warhola was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928, to a poverty-stricken immigrant family. Having no money to buy toys, Andy's mother encouraged him and his two brothers to draw. Little Andrew took to it immediately, impressing his family with his pictures. His father, a factory worker, had only enough money to send one child to college. He began to save his pennies so that Andrew could be the first of the Warhola's to attend college.
Campbell's Soup Cans by Andy Warhol, 1962. Display...
English: Andy Warhol
autograph and sketch by Andy WarholAt age eight, Andrew was diagnosed with a nervous disorder called St. Vitus's Dance, which made his limbs shake uncontrollably, and turned his skin ghost-white. Later in life, it also made his hair fall out (hence the white wigs). He was ridiculed in school, and became a loner, always opting to watch, rather than partake in fun activities.
"In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes." -Andy Warhol
Andy's fame as an artist lasted longer than fifteen minutes. It began at Carnegie University in Pittsburgh, where he learned valuable lessons in getting attention. He was a shy person and loved to observe people. He studied them from the sidelines, painting portraits of his classmates, which quickly earned him an entourage of friends. It was also in college that he submitted a painting...