Gallery Delaive is delighted to present Andy Warhol: Royal Icons, an exhibition showcasing some of Andy Warhol’s most iconic and recognizable works.
Andy Warhol was one of the most transformative and influential artists of the 20th century. Beyond his ventures in film, fashion and publishing he emerged as a defining visual artist of his generation, because he blurred the lines between mass-media, pop culture and ‘fine’ art. He was so emblematic for the post-war culture in the U.S. that New York magazine famously dubbed Warhol “The Zeitgeist incarnate”.
”I want to be like a machine” – Warhol had once remarked. At his studio/creative hub called ‘The Factory’ he rapidly produced his characteristic silkscreen prints of commercial objects, news imagery and famous people. In 1985, two years before his passing, Warhol made a series called the ‘Reigning Queens’.
For the series Warhol depicted all four reigning queens of that time: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
The bright coloration and the simplification of the lines turn the depicted people into larger than life icons: into abstracted symbols of power, wealth and fame. To emphasize their luxuriousness he made a special ‘Royal edition’ for every Queen, where he would add his signature ‘diamond dust’ on the contour lines.
Andy Warhol: Royal Icons displays 11 ‘Reigning Queens’ works, including two complete sets. The exhibition also includes portraits of other famous figures such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe.
Additionally, the show presents an array of works that are testimony to Warhol’s deep understanding of commercialization, mass-media and public imagery, including pieces featuring fellow post-war art giant Joseph Beuys, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and women’s shoes, a nod to Warhol’s early career as a commercial marketing designer.
Andy Warhol was in every sense unique: his style. his enigmatic personality, his appetite for controversy, his love for fame and money, and most of all his revolutionary art, which made him a true ‘royal icon’ of art history.
For an insight in the available works, go to the artist’s page.
For inquiries please send an email to info@delaive.com