Andy Warhol might be best-known for his silkscreen pop art portraits – including one of Marilyn Monroe which sold in 2022 for US$195 million - but photography was his passion according to the curator of a new exhibition of his work.
Warhol made more than 60,000 photographs during his lifetime, including a series of Polaroids now owned by the Art Gallery of South Australia. Those images, along with many other artworks, have been brought together for a new exhibition at the gallery, 'Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media'.
Andy Warhol, 1975, New York, United States of America, pigment print,
32.0 x 46.0 cm (image), 40.0 x 50.0 cm (sheet); Public
Engagement Fund 2021, Art Gallery of South Australia,
Adelaide, © Oliviero Toscani
Photo: Art Gallery of South Australia
Senior curator Julie Robinson says the photographs give real insight into Warhol’s life and reinforce the importance of portraiture in his career.
“In the 60s, he was known for his pop art and it was famous movie stars, Campbell's Soup cans, etc. In the 70s, he was very much involved in studio portraiture, and this was the main part of his artistic practice, and he would do commission portraits for New York society figures and celebrities. This was really part of his way of making money out of his art, but they're fantastic portraits.”
While these formal and glamour portraits made the everyday person or the sitter look like a movie star, Robinson says Warhol loved the frankness of photography.
“He was interested in capturing candid moments, spontaneous moments, and especially for famous people who he liked to capture them in un-famous moments. Really, he was interested in people.”
Andy Warhol, born Andrew Warhola Jr. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1928, started his working life as a commercial illustrator. By the time of his death in 1987, he was regarded as one of the most eminent artists of the 20th century with a diverse body of work that included pop art, film, painting and photography.
Andy Warhol, 1975, New York, United States of America, pigment print,
32.0 x 46.0 cm (image), 40.0 x 50.0 cm (sheet); Public
Engagement Fund 2021, Art Gallery of South Australia,
Adelaide, © Oliviero Toscani (PHOTO: Art Gallery of South Australia)
Andy Warhol, born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
1928, died New York, United States 1987, Cream of
mushroom soup, 1968, New York, colour screenprint on
paper, 81.0 x 47.5 cm (image), 88.8 x 58.5 cm (sheet);
South Australian Government Grant 1977, Art Gallery of
South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for
the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Art Gallery of South Australia)
Andy Warhol and Liza Minnelli, 1978, New
York, gelatin-silver photograph, 26.9 x 34.1 cm (image),
40.6 x 50.3 cm (sheet); Private collection, © Christopher
Makos (PHOTO: Christopher Makos)
David Bowie from the series White Trash,
1976, New York, gelatin-silver photograph, 49.2 x 33.3 cm
(image), 50.5 x 40.5 cm (sheet); Private collection, ©
Christopher Makos (PHOTO: Christopher Makos)
Nat Finkelstein, born Brooklyn, New York, United States
1933, died Shandaken, New York, United States 2009,
Silver Clouds installation, Leo Castelli Gallery, 1966, New
York, pigment print; Private collection, © Nat Finkelstein
Estate (PHOTO: Nat Finkelstein Estate)
Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol, and others at a party, 1965, New
York, gelatin-silver photograph, 31.5 x 47.1 cm (image),
40.0 x 49.9 cm (sheet); Courtesy of Fahey/Klein Gallery, ©
estate of Steve Schapiro (PHOTO: estate of Steve Schapiro)
Andy Warhol, born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
1928, died New York, United States 1987, Self-portrait
no.9, 1986, New York, synthetic polymer paint and
screenprint on canvas, 203.5 x 203.7 cm; Purchased
through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance
of the National Gallery Women's Association, Governor,
1987, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne © Andy
Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright
Agency (PHOTO: Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency)
Andy Warhol, 1971, New York, gelatin-silver
photograph, 33.7 x 22.6 (image), 35.6 x 27.8 cm (sheet);
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Purchased 1973 (PHOTO: National Gallery of Australia)
Andy Warhol, 1986, New York, gelatin-silver
photograph, 61.0 x 51.0 cm; Purchased 1989, National
Gallery of Australia, Canberra (PHOTO: Robert Mapplethorpe)
Elvis, 1963, New York, synthetic polymer paint and screenprint on canvas,
208.0 x 91.0 cm; Purchased 1973, National Gallery of
Australia, Canberra, © Andy Warhol Foundation for the
Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency)
Andy Warhol in a row boat in Paris’s Bois de
Boulogne, 1981, Paris, gelatin-silver photograph, 27.7 x
35.6 cm (sheet), 18.3 x 27.9 cm (image); Private collection,
© Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Andy Warhol in American flag, Madrid, 1983,
Madrid, gelatin-silver photograph, 32.3 x 21.6 cm (image),
35.6 x 27.6 cm (sheet); Private collection, © Christopher
Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Mick Jagger, 1977, New York, gelatin-silver
photograph, 31.6 x 20.6 cm (image), 35.7 x 27.6 cm
(sheet); Private collection, © Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Liza Minnelli and John Lennon, 860
Broadway, 1978, New York, gelatin-silver photograph, 20.6
x 31.7 cm (image), 27.2 x 35.6 cm (sheet); Private
collection, © Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Salvador Dali at Laurent French Restaurant
on east 55th St in New York, 1978, New York, gelatin-silver
photograph, 27.6 x 18.0 cm (image), 35.6 x 27.5 cm
(sheet); Private collection, © Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Andy taping Christopher Reeves for ‘Interview’
magazine, 1977, New York, gelatin-silver photograph, 21.2
x 32.2 cm (image), 27.5 x 35.3 cm (sheet); Private
collection, © Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Altered Image from the portfolio Altered
Image: Five Photographs of Andy Warhol, 1981; published
1982, New York, gelatin-silver photograph, 44.8 x 32.2 cm
(image), 50.6 x 40.8 cm (sheet); Purchased 1982, National
Gallery of Australia, Canberra, © Christopher Makos (PHOTO: © Christopher Makos)
Andy Warhol on the red couch at the Factory. New York City, 1964.ob Adelman, born Brooklyn, New York, United States
1930, died Miami Beach, Florida, United States 2016, Andy
Warhol on the red couch at the Factory, 1964, New York,
pigment print; Courtesy of Bob Adelman Estate (PHOTO: ©Bob Adelman)
Andy Warhol Kissing John Lennon, 1978,
New York, gelatin-silver photograph, 27.7 x 41.7 cm
(image), 40.7 x 50.4 cm (sheet); V.B.F. Young Bequest
Fund 2022, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, ©
Christopher Makos (PHOTO: Art Gallery of South Australia)
Henry Gillespie, 1985, New York, synthetic polymer paint and screenprint on canvas,
101.6 x 101.6 cm; South Australian Government Grant
1996, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy
Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright
Agency (PHOTO: Art Gallery of South Australia)
Debbie Harry, 1980, New York, Polaroid™ Polacolor Type 108, 10.8 x 8.6 cm (sheet),
9.7 x 7.3 (image); V.B. F. Young Bequest Fund and
d’Auvergne Boxall Bequest Fund 2018, Art Gallery of South
Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for the
Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Saul Steed)
Bianca Jagger at Halston’s house, New York, no. 1 from the portfolio Photographs,
1976; published 1980, New York, United States, gelatinsilver photograph, 40.8 x 28.8 cm (image), 50.5 x 41.0 cm
(sheet); James and Diana Ramsay Fund 2020, Art Gallery
of South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for
the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Stewart Adams)
Halston at home, New York, no. 7 from the portfolio Photographs, c.1976-79;
published 1980, New York, United States, gelatin silver
photograph, 42.2 x 29.4 cm (image), 50.5 x 40.8 cm
(sheet); James and Diana Ramsay Fund 2020, Art Gallery
of South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for
the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Stewart Adams)
NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1980s: Andy Warhol showing his artistry circa 1980s in New York City. (Photo by Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty Images) (PHOTO: Images Press)
Andy Warhol shops at Gristede's market. New York City, 1964. (PHOTO: ©Bob Adelman)
Liza Minnelli, 1978, New York, Polaroid™ Polacolor Type 108, 9.5 x 7.3
cm (image), 10.8 x 8.5 cm (sheet); V.B.F. Young Bequest
Fund 2012, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, ©
Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
ARS/Copyright Agency (PHOTO: Art Gallery of South Australia)
Robinson says Warhol was ahead of his time on many things and says his photography foreshadows modern social media.
“When you now know about his photographs, it's like his Instagram feed. What would he have been doing now if he was alive today? He would have been on everything possible, but at the same time he had that artistic eye, it wasn't just the everyday photos. I find it interesting because a lot of young people come to the exhibition and they're faced with all these images of celebrities that they've never heard of or barely know of, and yet they're really responding to the imagery. I think it is the sort of candid photographs that really resonates with them.
Julie Robinson
Photo: Saul Steed
"You know, he was famous as a person, but his art was still getting a mixed sort of reception by the time he died. Since then his reputation has just gone up and up. So there's something to be said for dying making someone more famous. And today his works are still very relevant.
"Interest still surrounds him. While there are still people who know him, his memory lives on in a direct way, and his art lives on. It has very important resonances for us."
