Andy Warhol exhibit extended at Tel Aviv Museum of Art
“Thirty years after his death, Warhol is still an enigma.”
By JESSICA VRAZILEKAn employee poses with ten screenprints of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s exhibition “Andy Warhol Photographs from the Museum Collection” has been extended through November 25. The exhibition of uncharacteristic works provides visitors with a unique snapshot of the life of the American pop art icon.Andy Warhol (1928-1987), one of the most influential pop artists of the 20th century, was an artist, director and producer known for combining his artistic style with celebrity culture and advertising.“Thirty years after his death, Warhol is still an enigma,” said Raz Samira, exhibition curator. “This exhibition shows another side to him, a side that we do not often get to see. Warhol as a photographer.”The exhibition presents a selection of never before exhibited Polaroids, black-and-white photographs, and stitched photo works, all of which were donated to the museum by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.“A picture means I know where I was every minute. That’s why I take pictures. It’s a visual diary,” said Warhol.Warhol first started experimenting with Polaroids in 1958 with a number of selfies and photos of friends. The Polaroid was an easy and spontaneous way for the artist to document his experiences, and from 1970 onwards, Warhol never went anywhere without a camera.“Warhol would carry with him at least two Polaroid Big Shot cameras, and obsessively documented his life and environment, exposing the intimate moments of New York celebrities” said Samira. “The thousands of Polaroid photographs Warhol left behind are an expression of the blurred boundaries between life and art.”These photos, observations of his celebrity peers, served as preparation for later drawings, paintings and prints.Samira compliments Warhol’s Polaroids and stitched works the artist’s 1965 film, 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests. The hourlong video is presented without music, but shows portraits from his factory.For information about the museum: www.tamuseum.org.il.
