Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych, 1962
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New York City is full of reminders of Andy Warhol. My college used to host sessions with art historians about him. A former boss used to own a townhome in the Carnegie Hill area where Andy Warhol lived for 15 years between 1959 and 1974. That’s where Warhol created some of his most iconic artworks, including the colorful renditions of Campbell Soup cans, dollar bills, and comic strips. He used the main floor of the townhouse as his painting studio.
Today, it’s very common to spot Andy Warhol’s work at art galleries throughout New York City.
The Artist: Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol was a prominent artist known for his contributions to the Pop art movement in the 1960s. He was born Andrew Warhola on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were Slovakian immigrants.
He was raised in a devout Byzantine Catholic household, a world away from the glitzy art scene he would one day dominate. Despite the economic challenges of his childhood, Warhol's talent was recognized early. He was the first in his family to go to college, attending the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh (now Carnegie Mellon University). He graduated in 1949 with a degree in pictorial design.
As a quiet, somewhat shy person on the surface, Warhol let his art do the talking when expressing who he truly was. He believed that there was nothing hidden behind the superficial layers he presented.
His work as an artist began in the early 1950s when he exhibited drawings based on Truman Capote's writings. Warhol's life and work intertwined, with his art simultaneously critiquing and celebrating materialism and celebrity culture.
The 1960s in New York was a melting pot of artistic innovation, and Warhol was right in the middle of it. Influenced by contemporaries like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, Warhol began to push the boundaries of his artistic experimentation.
One of the turning points in Warhol's career came when he exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art. His Campbell's Soup Cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits transformed mundane consumer goods and celebrities into high art, challenging conventional notions of artistic value.
Warhol's philosophy, "Isn’t life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?" captured his approach to art. He found beauty in the repetitive and the everyday, making the familiar unfamiliar through his unique lens. This perspective was not just about observing life but about reimagining it, giving objects and figures new meanings and contexts.
Beyond his visual art, Warhol was a master of blending different media. He also dabbled in filmmaking, writing, and performance art, always looking to blur the lines between art and life.
His entrepreneurial spirit and knack for self-promotion transformed him into an icon, both of his art and of the era. Warhol understood the power of the artist's persona in the modern world, making himself as much a part of his art as the silk screens and sculptures he produced. He passed away on February 22, 1987, in New York City.
The Art: Marilyn Diptych
Andy Warhol's Marilyn Diptych, created in 1962, holds a significant place in the iconic pop artist's body of work. This diptych, made up of two silver canvases, features fifty silkscreened images of Marilyn Monroe, extracted from the 1953 film Niagara.
The piece was crafted shortly after Monroe's untimely death, serving as a tribute to the legendary actress who personified fame and glamor during the 1950s and early 1960s.
The repetition of Monroe's image on the silver canvases not only captures her physical beauty but also symbolizes the mass production and commodification of celebrity culture.
Through the use of the silkscreen technique, Warhol blurred the lines between fine art and mass media, challenging traditional notions of artistic creation and originality. This innovative approach marked a turning point in the art world, ushering in the era of pop art.
In the broader context of art history, Warhol's Marilyn Diptych can be seen as a commentary on the intersection of art, fame, and consumer culture in post-war America. By immortalizing Monroe's image in a series of repetitions, Warhol highlighted the ephemeral nature of celebrity and the power of media representation.
The piece has been hailed as one of the most influential works of modern art, showcasing Warhol's ability to transform everyday objects and images into symbols of profound meaning.
On Display Now
Andy Warhol’s work can be found at the following exhibitions. These represent just a small sample of the many shows currently displaying his work.
Unseen: Permanent Collection Works
The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | USA)
Nov 02, 2023 - Mar 04, 2024When Image Processing Became Painting
Miguel Abreu Gallery, Eldridge Street (New York | USA)
Feb 02, 2024 - Mar 09, 2024It Takes 2: Unexpected Pairings
Hudson River Museum (Yonkers | New York | USA)
Sep 29, 2023 - Mar 02, 2025
Sources:
Acocella, J. (2020, June 1). Untangling Andy Warhol. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/06/08/untangling-andy-warhol
Andy Warhol (n.d.). The Andy Warhol Museum. https://www.warhol.org/andy-warhols-life/
Andy Warhol. (2024, February 22). Biography. https://www.biography.com/artists/andy-warhol
Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe. (n.d.). https://www.masterworksfineart.com/artists/andy-warhol/marilyn-monroe
Andy Warhol Paintings, Prints+, bio, ideas. (n.d.). The Art Story. https://www.theartstory.org/artist/warhol-andy/
Léman. (2021, December 15). Art Critique on the Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol. Medium. https://medium.com/@leman1/art-critique-on-the-marilyn-diptych-by-andy-warhol-bddfe9b7f024
Ryan, T. R. (n.d.). Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych. https://smarthistory.org/warhol-marilyn-diptych/
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024, February 27). Andy Warhol | Biography, pop art, Campbell Soup, artwork, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andy-Warhol
Warhol – The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. (n.d.). https://warholfoundation.org/warhol/
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