Andy Warhol - vendere e comprare opere
6 August 1928, Pittsburgh (USA) - 22 February 1987, New York City (USA)
Andy Warhol was an American artist, filmmaker and publisher who became famous during his lifetime. He is among the most noteworthy representatives of Pop Art. His name is frequently associated with iconic figures of the 1960s and 1970s, whom he elevated to cult status with his silk-screen painting. Not only was Warhol an artist, he was also excellent at marketing and was able to maximize profits from his fame.
Warhol was born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, USA, as the third child to Slovakian immigrants. His father was a construction worker and his mother a seamstress. Warhol contracted St Vitus’ Dance at the age of eight and remained confined to his bed for many months. It was during this period, encouraged by his mother, that he started to draw.
Later on, Warhol enrolled in a course of commercial illustration at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in design and painting. After his studies, he felt drawn to New York, where he initially worked as a storefront decorator and advertising artist. In 1950, the magazine Mademoiselle became the first publication to feature drawings by the young artist with the signature ‘Andy Warhol’. His career quickly took off, and by the end of the 1950s, Warhol had become one of Manhattan’s highest-paid advertising artists.
He opened his legendary studio The Factory in 1962, where he collaborated with numerous friends on a variety of projects. Warhol specialised in silkscreen painting, using everyday objects as inspiration for his artworks. The famous star portraits and ubiquitous silkscreen painting of Campbell’s Soup Can were also produced at The Factory.
Over time, the charismatic artist developed an increasing fascination with film and writing. But the regular visitor of the New York discotheque Studio 54, almost came to a premature end in 1968. During a visit to The Factory, the women’s rights activist Valerie Solanas fired three shots at Warhol, leaving him with life-threatening abdominal wounds. Warhol recovered from the severe injuries and from the 1970s onward dedicated himself more and more to the publication of books and to the production of films.
Suffering from a diseased gall bladder, Warhol required an operation in 1987. Surgery was successful, but there were post-operative complications from which he never recovered. He passed away on 22 February 1987.