art paper
Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Andy Warhol 1
Obsession and passion accurately describe the work of Andy Warhol, the father of Pop art and an American cultural icon. Through his interest of consumerism he has made many contributions to the art world and has changed the way art is perceived. In addition to being a filmmaker, artist, actor, writer, and publisher, Warhol was also an avid collector. Similar to Joseph Cornell, collecting was a crucial aspect of Warhol's existence, which in his case seemed to take on a life of its own. Warhol collected anything and everything, filling his rooms with valuables and junk. He had sensitivity to interesting materials that ranged from expensive Art Deco furniture to unpaid receipts. Scouting flea markets, antique shops, thrift stores, and auctions, Warhol obtained a versatile collection large enough to take over his Manhattan house of twenty-seven rooms and more. Spending a lot of money on acquisitions was natural for Warhol, as he also constantly searched for "priceless" objects of interest. American folk art,
Navajo blankets, Fiestaware, cookie jars, toys, jewelry, silver wigs, scrap books, magazines, taped interviews, and much more constituted his endless collection.
Following the artist's death, a mind-boggling amount of material was retrieved from his home. Through close inspection of Warhol's collection we may have a better understanding of him as a person and as an artist. The spectrum of information that he has left behind opens a door to the private aspects of his life that he had kept hidden away from the public eye. Regardless of the way Warhol displayed his collections, they may be detected in every part of his work. Through accumulating objects, Warhol created an autobiography that is now available for the public to enjoy. Today's 8,000-cubic-foot collection of Andy Warhol treasures is used by the Andy Warhol Museum and other organizations for public exhibits.
Vocabulary
Many of the important terms and concepts from the textbook readings are demonstrated in this artist's work. Be sure to study how these terms are evidenced in the works.
voluminous
mobile
Artwork Gallery
Contents of a Time Capsule 2
“Contents of Time Capsule” – 1974
It was during Andy Warhol’s move in 1974 from one studio to another that his greatest collection came to life. Time Capsules originated when Warhol used plain cardboard boxes to pack and organize his belongings. After placing papers, mail, photos, books, and more in boxes, Warhol had realized the potential of this activity. Dividing his life into time capsules enabled the artist to organize his prolific and chaotic life and also freeze his experiences in time. A box was always present by his desk waiting to be filled with new “curiosities”. After being filled to the rim, each capsule was sealed, labeled, and stored. Six-hundred-and-twelve completed Time Capsules were produced before Warhol’s death in 1987, each an autobiographical diary of his personal and professional life.
To share Warhol’s Time Capsules with the general public, Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt, Germany, and The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, joined in collaboration opening fifteen boxes for view. While the Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt combined the contents of boxes with Warhol’s other works of art and that of his contemporaries, The Andy Warhol Museum chose to focus on the capsule contents only. A surprising amount of collected materials were retrieved from the box, each capsule encasing between 200 to 300 objects.
As we observe the contents of the capsules and learn about Warhol’s personal tastes, ideas, habits, and eccentricities, we recall how early collectors stored and displayed their meaningful and important acquisitions. While Warhol’s Time Capsules lack the extravagant appearance of the cabinets, they house items crucial to a life of a legendary figure – the father of Pop art. The versatile contents of the Time Capsules may also be compared to the Braincells of Mail artist Ryosuke Cohen, colorful collaborative collages that resulted from continuing correspondence between the artist and random individuals through mail. In addition to two-dimensional objects such as unpaid receipts and gas bills, Warhol also threw in the mix three-dimensional ones such as Clark Gable’s shoes. Each sealed capsule may also be viewed as a voluminous object since it has height, width, and length.
The Andy Warhol Museum has an online exhibit of Warhol’s 21 capsules which enables the viewers to open them and look through their items. Opening each capsule is similar to opening a present; since excitement and anticipation are a constant reminder of how interesting and inspiring Warhol was to his contemporaries and followers.
http://www.warhol.org/tc21/
Installation of Shoes 3
“Installation of shoes” – 1970
Raid the Icebox with Andy Warhol (1970) is a body of work in which the artist explored the relationship between museums and collecting. Warhol was interested in the institutional approach to collecting and showcasing. To challenge the classification system of museums, he produced installations that portrayed everyday matter displayed in unusual ways. The title of the work alluded to the cold and dark storerooms found in museums whose contents nobody ever sees or experiences.
Installation of Shoes is part of the exhibit. A variety of shoes carefully placed in rows parade inside an open cabinet. Their order and separation by color and style may refer to the presentation of scientific specimens as seen in natural history museums. Recall how early museums began to divide “curiosities” into categories and display them with other similar matter. In this installation, Warhol is commenting on ridiculousness of the taxonomy system. The shoes become the rarities within a cabinet, each different and unique despite their similarities. They are sculptural objects that invite closer observation and actual interaction. Visitors are allowed to pull the shoes out of the cabinet, something museums would never allow if they were valuable artifacts. Warhol breaks the boundary between public and personal display, teaching us that systems can be and should be broken.
Installation of Windsor Chairs 4
“Installation of Windsor Chairs” – 1970
Installation of Windsor Chairs is another part of Raiding an Icebox with Andy Warhol (1970), which is exhibited at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. As chairs become the main focus of the installation, hanging from the ceiling and placed in rows on the gallery floor, the audience is left wondering about their purpose and function. Here Warhol utilized space to display ordinary chairs as works of art, thus once again stressing the importance of unconventional presentation. This work is reminiscent of Marcel Duchamp’s Readymades that were elevated to the status of art due to their presentation in an artistic setting. Also, recall Duchamp’s 1,200 Bags of Coal (1938), an installation of 1,200 bags of coal scattered or suspended from a ceiling that allowed the viewers to interact with the work. Warhol creates a Surrealist atmosphere where objects transform into living entities.
Showcasing of wood chairs on walls and floor transforms them into valuable artifacts. While their presence in a museum may seem surprising and even unfitting, the chairs remind us that everyday objects also possess value. Their unconventional order criticizes the organizational principles of museums. The installation may be described as mobile since chairs maybe moved around by the public. This opportunity also gives the visitors a chance to slightly manipulate the work.
