Tate Modern
March 12 – November 15, 2020
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) remains one of the most iconic artists of the late 20th century, his work continues to captivate and inspire fresh interpretations. As a reserved, gay man from a devout, low-income immigrant family, Warhol carved a unique path, emerging as a quintessential figure of the pop art movement. This major new exhibition at Tate Modern – the first in nearly two decades – offers a rare, personal glimpse into Warhol’s life and work, underscoring his role in a time of cultural upheaval. Utilizing recent scholarship, the exhibit invites viewers to reconsider this American legend through a contemporary lens.
The exhibition showcases over 100 works from Warhol’s illustrious career, highlighting how his personal experiences influenced his distinctive perspective on 20th-century culture. It situates Warhol within the dynamic creative and political currents of his era. While his famous paintings of Coca-Cola bottles and Marilyn Monroe are celebrated for reflecting American culture, this exhibit delves into recurring themes of desire, identity, and belief rooted in his biography. It explores how Warhol redefined art amidst significant social, political, and technological changes.
Born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh to Carpatho-Rusyn parents from a small village in the former Czechoslovak Republic, Warhol’s upbringing in the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church profoundly impacted his work. His mother, Julia Warhola’s strong religious beliefs, deeply influenced him. Warhol’s sexuality also forms a prominent theme in his work, beginning with his evocative early line drawings of men from the 1950s, paired intimately with the film Sleep (1963), which features his lover, poet John Giorno.
Key pieces from Warhol’s pop art period, such as Marilyn Diptych (1962), Elvis I and II (1963/1964), and Pink Race Riot (1964), are examined in the context of contemporary American culture and politics. His relentless ambition to transcend traditional media boundaries is exemplified by his famous Screen Tests (1964-66) and a recreation of the multimedia environment Exploding Plastic Inevitable (1966), originally produced for The Velvet Underground’s shows. Visitors can also experience Warhol’s Silver Clouds (1966) installation, initially intended to mark his shift from painting to filmmaking. Warhol’s statement, “good business is the best art,” is explored through his ventures into publishing, television, and club culture, highlighting his efforts to mainstream underground stars.
After surviving being shot by Valerie Solanas in 1968, Warhol returned to large-scale painting projects. The exhibition emphasizes his prowess as a painter and colorist with a dedicated room showcasing the largest grouping of his 1975 Ladies and Gentlemen series ever displayed in the UK. These powerful portraits depict anonymous Black and Latin drag queens and trans women from New York. Warhol’s final works of the 1980s, such as the poignant Sixty Last Suppers (1986), are presented in the UK for the first time, contextualized within his untimely death and the emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic that affected many in his circle.
The exhibition will be on view from March 12 – November 15, 2020
