Andy warhol paintings. Andy Warhol is one of the most expensive artists of the twentieth century

If you ever have to see paintings by this amazing artist Andy Warhol, then you will never forget them. Somewhere in the depths of your memory, memories of his unusual, but very vivid paintings will surely remain. But not everyone who is familiar with his canvases knows about the very personality of the artist. Warhol Andy is a very mysterious figure, one of the most famous, but at the same time the most controversial. The works of this master became a bright triumph and commercial success of American pop art. Whoever he was: an artist, sculptor, designer, director, producer, writer, collector. Even out of his own life, this unusual artist made a work of art, creating more and more myths about his legendary person.

About the parents of the future artist

A talented personality, known to the whole world today, was born on August 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), in a large family of immigrants who moved to America from Eastern Europe. Warhol Andy, and his real name is Andrei Warhola, was the youngest, fourth child. He had two older brothers and a sister who died before his parents moved to the United States. The most reliable data indicate that the birthplace of the Warhol family is Slovakia. Although three countries consider this extraordinary artist their own - apart from Slovakia, these are the USA and Ukraine. But one thing is unmistakably clear - his legacy belongs to the whole world, and not to a separate country. Andy Warhol's parents had nothing to do with art. My father was an employee of a coal mine, my mother, not knowing English, had to earn extra money by cleaning, and also selling flowers made of paper with her own hands.

Andy Warhol's childhood

While still very young, Andy began to get sick often. From 4 to 8 years old, he suffered more than one serious illness, among them the most terrible disease was Sydenham's chorea, or the "dance of St. Vitus". The boy suffered from seizures and was literally bedridden. At school, he becomes an outcast. Also, the child became too suspicious, began to be afraid of hospitals and doctors. This fear did not release him until his death. During this difficult time, Warhol Andy played with carved dolls, listened to the radio. Mother then drew various pictures for her son, gradually he himself begins to draw all sorts of objects surrounding him, as well as make collages from old newspapers. So even in early childhood, Andy had his first interest, and then a love of drawing. A little later, Warhol's mother, having earned some money, buys a small movie projector for her son, through which he watched stories in pictures on the wall of the room. Thus, in childhood, the creative potential of the future artist begins to develop gradually. When Andy was 9 years old, he began taking art courses, which were taught free of charge. At the age of 13, the boy loses his father, he dies in the mine.

Warhol's education

While still in school, the young man planned to enter the University of Pittsburgh, and after receiving an art education there, teach drawing. But after graduation, plans change, Warhol Andy enters the Carnegie Institute of Technology. His plans include a career as a commercial illustrator. In 1949 he already had a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. The future artist studied well, he was even the best in the course, but he did not always find a common language both with fellow students and with teachers. He always had an active life position. At this time Andy attends parties, concerts of symphony orchestras, is interested in ballet.

The beginning of the work path

After graduating from the institute and receiving a diploma, young Warhol moved to New York. He, like other pop art artists, begins his working career as an ordinary advertising artist. The young man took up window dressing, made advertising posters, drew holiday cards, and also decorated stands. A little later, he begins fruitful cooperation with such popular glossy magazines as Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and other lesser-known publications. Thanks to these magazines, their illustrator Andy Warhol becomes famous. His biography at this stage is marked by a great financial boom, but Warhol dreams of "high art".

Andy Warhole. Creation. First success

The beginning of the 50s was marked in the biography of an extraordinary artist with the first noticeable success. It all happened after he came up with a shoe ad for I. Miller. Warhol's eccentric drawing style was to everyone's liking. He painted specially made blots on the shoes painted with ink. It was a revolution in the world of advertising, and for Andy - the first creative success, which brought him new lucrative contracts. Soon, the artist Andy Warhol begins to receive more than 100 thousand dollars a year. And 1952 is the year when the first exhibition took place, at which his works were presented. The exhibition was held in New York, and after four years Warhol was admitted to the Art Editors' Club. Very soon, he already begins to create his paintings, which he builds on an unusual method - screen printing. So he also became interested in photography, but Andy devoted a special place in his life to the fine arts.

Andy Warhol is an extraordinary artist. His business card

To declare himself as an artist who sees art in a very extraordinary way, Warhol was helped by an event that became fateful. Using the idea of ​​one art dealer in his own way, Andy creates a series of canvases featuring cans of tomato soup and an image of dollar bills.

The exhibition of these paintings in one of the galleries in New York made a real sensation, and the image of Campbell's canned food would later become his hallmark. The artist's fantasy has no boundaries. What else will this strange young man Andy Warhol think of? He begins to create his paintings using the silk-screening technique. It allows you to repeat the same thing many times, the same images, the same strokes. This monotonous repetition was what Warhol strove for. This will be a characteristic feature of his work.

Setting up your own factory

In 1963, Andy Warhol, together with his friends, decided to create his own studio or workshop. To do this, he acquires an abandoned old building in the very center of New York, it will become his creative studio. Andy comes up with a simple, unpretentious name for her Factory. It was a kind of springboard on which the famous master created and presented his works. Warhol Andy hires a team of young creative artists. Their task is to let the works of the recognized master into the stream. The factory became a real commercial enterprise, it produced about 80 silk-screen prints per day, and this number amounted to thousands of works per year. Having established work on mass production, Andy Warhol made paintings and portraits of celebrities a symbol of pop art and the artistic culture of America of the twentieth century, but purely commercial. This studio operated for over twenty years and was considered the craziest place on earth. Permissiveness reigned there, where not only drew, made films, produced mass silk-screen prints, but also lived and threw parties by his creative team.

About the artist's personal life

What was this eccentric, unconventional and even weird Andy Warhol really like? His work was distinguished by courage, shocking, it was underground, three-dimensional, created like a film strip. This image of him as a superstar was open to society, in contrast to his personal life, which Andy tried to keep secret. It is not surprising that his personality was of great interest to the public. Warhol has been at the center of the New York art scene for several decades. However, in fact, Andy was a great eccentric, modest, even a closed person, and by the end of his life even deeply religious. Many researchers of the artist's life and work consider him a homosexual, finding confirmation not only in his behavior, but even in his work: a series of paintings and several films. Warhol is credited with such boyfriends as John Giorno, Billy Name, John Gould, Jed Johnson. But Andy Warhol still had a real muse.

This is Edie Sedgwick - a model, an actress who once came to him at the "Factory" and completely fascinated him. It was rumored that they were having an affair. They were like two halves of one whole. But Edie abused drugs, which is why her life ended at the age of 28. Whether Andy Warhol regretted this, whose personal life was so closely associated with this queen of Manhattan, is unknown. But the fact that she was his muse is beyond doubt.

The last days of Warhol's life. His work today

Andy Warhol in 1968 was completely assassinated by the former model of his "Factory" Valerie Solan. He had a clinical death, but he survived, although he changed a lot after that. He died in a New York hospital on February 22, 1987, in his sleep. Today he is considered the main artist of the late twentieth century. They make films about him, write books, organize exhibitions. Warhol's fortune, which is estimated at one hundred million, was bequeathed by him to his own foundation, which supports art organizations. Today, Pittsburgh houses the Andy Warhol Museum, which opened in 1994. In his collection - 4258 exhibits: 900 paintings, serigraphy series, graphic works, photographs, sculptures, video works and films.

Andy Warhol is a 70s era mirror, a genius in pop art and commercial art. This artist has never hesitated to monetize his art. And he has a lot to learn. Today we have prepared for you the TOP-10 of his most expensive works.

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 1. "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)" 1963.

Sold in November 2013 at Sotheby's for $ 105.4 million.

Andy Warhole. "Silver Car Crash (Double Calamity)"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 2. "Eight Elvis" of 1963.

Sold privately in October 2008 through French art consultant Philippe Segalot for $ 100 million. At that time, this was a record amount paid for the work of Andy Warhol.

Andy Warhole. "Eight Elvis"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 3. "Triple Elvis (Ferus Tipe)" ("Tripple Elvis (Ferus Tipe)") 1963.

Sold in November 2014. This work - one of two sold by Thomas Ammann to a German casino in the 70s - became the top lot at Christie's.

Andy Warhole. "Triple Elvis (Ferus type)"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 4. "Turquoise Marilyn" 1964.

As one of several portraits of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol, it was purchased in May 2007 by the collector Stephen Cohen through the Larry Gagosian Gallery for about $ 80 million.

Andy Warhole. "Turquoise Marilyn"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 5. "Green Car Crash" 1963.

It was also sold in May 2007 in New York at Christie's for a record auction price of $ 71.7 million by collector Philip Niarchos, son of Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos.

Andy Warhole. "Green car crash"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 6. "Four Marlons" (1966).

The painting was sold in November 2014 at Christie's for $ 69.6 million and was paired with Triple Elvis at auction.

Andy Warhole. "Four Marlons"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 7. "Men in her life" ("Men In Her Life"), 1962.

A black and white portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, depicting her alongside her third husband Mike Todd and future husband Eddie Fisher, was sold to an anonymous buyer in New York at Philipps de Pury & Co for $ 63.4 million. The work was sent to a certain Mugrabi family.

Andy Warhole. "Men in her life"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 8. "Race Riot" (in four parts) 1964-year.

The painting was sold in May 2014 at Christie's for $ 62.8 million to one buyer, who made a complete work out of it.

Andy Warhol "Race Riot"

10 most expensive paintings by Andy Warhol. 9. "200 One Dollar Bills" 1962.

In November 2009, the painting was sold at Sotheby's auction to an anonymous buyer for $ 43.8 million. The purchase was made in London through collector Pauline Karpidas, who bought the work in 1986 for only $ 385,000.

Springfield, Missouri.

One of the founders of pop art Andy Warhol has managed to successfully transform his name into a brand. A multifaceted and versatile personality, he has reliably inscribed himself in the history of the development of culture in the second half of the 20th century. What brought him such a resounding success?

Childhood

On August 6, 1928, a fourth child was born in the family of immigrants from Czechoslovakia Warhola, he was named Andrei. Warhol Andy is the creative pseudonym of Andrey Warhola. At the time of his birth, the family had lived in the city of Pittsburgh for several years, so he rightfully took an American name for himself. The family had nothing to do with the creative environment. My father worked all his life in a coal mine, and his mother ran a household.

In the 3rd grade, little Andrei fell ill with Sydenham's chorea. This disease causes involuntary violent movements. As a result, the boy had to spend a whole year at home. It was during this period that he became interested in drawing in order to somehow distract himself from the painful condition. The plot did not have to hiccup for a long time, he just drew what was in front of his eyes: light bulbs, empty cigarette packs. At the same time, he first began to compose collages from newspaper clippings.

The beginning of the way

Young and ambitious Andy Warhol decided to start his career by entering the Carnegie Mellon Institute of Technology. He easily passed all the exams and began to study commercial illustration and graphic drawing. He turned out to be the best student on the course, but at the same time he could not find contact with teachers and classmates.

The young and talented American artist easily found a job in New York. His first position was as a shop window designer. During these years, he drew posters, greeting cards, and was engaged in the decor of stands. There was not much success at first.

One friend advised him: if you want to be rich, draw money. Andy took this advice literally and started drawing one dollar bills. At the same time, the work with discount coupons and now legendary images of Campbell soup were completed. This was the first success. He was quickly noticed and offered cooperation with leading glossy magazines. Andy worked as an illustrator for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

Stairs up

One of the most successful people of his time, Andy Warhol, whose biography and work inspires today, began his career with advertising. The first successful project was an advertisement for I. Miller ". It was a real success, contracts fell like rain, and royalties were constantly growing.

Already in 1952, his first exhibition took place. She brought her author even more success. Andy was admitted to the Art Editors Club. During the same period, he created his own corporate identity based on screen printing. By this time, his earnings already exceeded $ 100,000 a year, and he was recognized as one of the most successful people of our time. One of the most expensive orders is the design of the Coca-Cola can.

Templates, templates, templates ...

1962 was a landmark year. At this time, the artist's enthusiasm for stencils increases. He took newspaper clippings or photographs as a basis, the original version was multiplied into many copies. Each of the blanks was colored differently. The American artist had a share of realism. The selection of colors was based on their compatibility.

At one time, the artist was greatly fascinated by tragic photographs. He took plots of murders, disasters, fires. Numerous repetitions intensified the experience, and the unnatural colors only helped to sharpen the focus on the plot.

Andy Warhol continues to work in this technique and beyond. Photo of Marilyn Monroe has long inspired the artist. Marilyn in neon colors has become a kind of pop art icon.

Factory

Warhol Andy brought the philosophy of technology to art. He has said more than once that he would like to become a machine. Thinking the same and looking the same, like machines - that's what humanity should come to. On the basis of this idea, a creative workshop was created, which he called "Factory". To create the necessary surroundings, the entire room was covered with aluminum.

Warhol's "factory" began to gather like-minded people around itself. The working team was replenished with several assistants. Although the general direction was the same, the assistants had some freedom. They independently selected images for new stencils and learned the combination of colors from the meter.

Director

All the same "Factory" became the place where cinema was born. Andy became almost the only known underground filmmaker. His first works introduced the viewer into a hypnotic state. These are the paintings "Dream" and "Empire". In the first, throughout the entire tape, just a sleeping person, the second offers a contemplation of the Empire State Building at night. The picture lasts several hours, while without any musical accompaniment.

In the future, a movie appears with a plot that is mostly erotic in nature. One of the first feature films was "Garbage". The very process of work and the plot of the picture is a parody and a mockery of commercial cinema.

In 1966, Warhol began working with the Velvet Underground group. He makes films and produces several albums. Andy personally designs their first album. The cover features a graphic image of a banana on a blank background. Now it is one of the most recognizable works of the artist.

Magazine

This person is not only an artist, director and producer of a musical group, he is also a magazine publisher. Andy Warhol created Interview magazine. The main goal of the publication is to bring contemporary culture to the masses.

The pages of the magazine published interviews with outstanding creative personalities of their time: musicians, artists, actors, directors. He was one of the first to open the veil of secrecy over the life of famous personalities. Here fame, sex shocking and delicacy perfectly coexist. But the circle of persons is not limited to pop art and underground, the publication does not adhere to a certain style and works in all directions.

The magazine is still alive and has been published in several countries. He came to Russia in 2011. The new generation diligently observes the traditions laid down by the founder.

Assassination attempt

On July 3, 1968, Warhol, as always, worked in his workshop. One of his actresses came in and fired three shots in the artist's stomach. Then she calmly went out into the street, and confessed to the very first patrol officer. However, she did not feel remorse, and made the attempt quite deliberately. Andy suffered a clinical death, but as a result of a long and difficult operation, doctors managed to save his life. He flatly refused to give indications, having complacently forgiven his model. Solanas escaped with three years in prison and compulsory treatment.

Some believe that Valerie was an ardent feminist. But she herself claims that in this way she tried to attract his attention to herself. Talking to him was like talking to furniture, she argued. The unhappy lover version seems more plausible, all things considered.

Having been on the doorstep of the worlds, the artist becomes more devout, and begins to regularly attend church. In the works of this time, the theme of violent death is often seen.

Personal life

Andy Warhol, whose biography was carefully hidden, still failed to completely free himself from public discussion of his personal life.

He was constantly credited with having a relationship with Edie Sedgwick. He met this sweet girl with a charming smile in 1995. A thin, fragile 17-year-old girl delighted an already eminent artist. He called her his muse more than once.

It is still not clear whether their romantic feelings were connected or not, but one thing is a fact. They appeared everywhere together, as if the twins were dressing alike. To please Andy, the girl even cut her luxurious hair and dyed her platinum blonde. But the idyll did not turn out to be eternal, for some unknown reason they quarreled right in the restaurant, they were never seen again together.

Many researchers of Andy Warhol's personal life argue that he was gay, and there simply could not be a relationship with Edie. You can learn a lot about life and work from the diaries kept by Andy Warhol: biography, photos, parties and the creative process. The records were kept for 10 years, and after the artist's death they were published.

Artist, director, producer, publisher - Andy Warhol has distinguished himself in almost all directions and left a bright neon brushstroke in the history of contemporary art. His works continue to inspire the younger generation and he raised many followers on his own at the "Factory" of art. An unusual personality with an unusual destiny, a vivid example of a person who independently achieved everything he dreamed of.

Andy (Andrew) Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, USA on August 6, 1928. The Warhol family (real name - Warhola) moved to the States from Slovakia, so Andy is a Rusyn by nationality. First, the father of the family, Andrei, moved to America in search of work, and in 1921 his wife Julia joined him.

Outrageous artist Andy Warhol

Andrew's older sister, Justina, was born and died in infancy, in her parents' homeland. In addition to Justina, the boy had two more older brothers and one younger brother. My father worked in a mine, my mother was a housewife and moonlighted, washing floors, windows and making artificial flowers from scrap materials.

After moving to Oakland (a suburb of Pittsburgh) Andy went to the most ordinary school. The boy grew up as a cheerful, tall boy (in adulthood, Warhol's height was 180 cm), until the disease knocked him down. In the third grade, Andrew fell ill with Sydenham's chorea, which was the result of scarlet fever. With this disease, a person is seized by muscle cramps, which he is unable to control.

From an ordinary playful boy, Andy instantly turned into a little sufferer, bedridden. He could not go to school, moreover, his former comrades teased him. The boy began to panic fear of hospitals, doctors, injections and everything related to illness.

To entertain and cheer up her son, Julia begins to draw different pictures for him, buys magazines, newspapers. It was then that little Andrew became addicted to drawing: he drew light bulbs, pens, keys, trying to find something new in everyday things and creating his first works of art. The boy fell in love with making collages from newspaper clippings, and then - watching stories in moving pictures using a projector.

At the age of 9, Andrew began attending free art courses and even planned to enroll in a local university to teach drawing later. A real tragedy for the whole family was the death of Andrei Varhol's father, who died in an accident in a mine.

After graduating from high school, Warhol entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology, planning to work in the future as an illustrator in the field of advertising. In 1949, the future king of pop art received a bachelor's degree in graphic design and set out to conquer New York, changing his last name from Warhol to Warhol, and his name from Andrew to Andy.

Carier start

Andy's talent was not lacking: already in his youth, at the dawn of his career, he managed to gain the attention of large corporations. And he began, like many advertising artists, with the design of shop windows. Also, at the dawn of his career, the young man drew postcards and posters, decorated stands. At this time, Warhol's collaboration with the fashion magazines Harper's Bazaar and Vogue took place.

Real success came to the artist after creating an original advertisement for shoes of the “I. Miller ". Andy drew the shoes with ink and blotted them. Glory brought the young man a decent income, famous brands began to sign contracts with him. However, the master himself considered his success only a stepping stone on the path to "high art", about which he had a very peculiar idea.

In 1952, the first exhibition of Warhol's works was held in New York, and four years later he was admitted to the Art Editors' Club. This period includes the artist's passion for the screen printing method, which he used to create and subsequently reproduce his works. Using matrices based on his own photographs and newspaper photographs, Andy created his most famous paintings, monochrome and color collages with the image, which later became the symbols of Pop Art.

Creation

In 1960, Andy began developing the design of Coca-Cola cans, then - to graphic works, drawing banknotes. Then the stage of "cans" began, which were depicted in a pictorial way and methods of stencil silk-screen printing. Urhall's artistic lens caught Campbell's soups and other utilitarian items.

In 1962, an exhibition of the best works of Warhol was held, after which critics attributed Andy to the leading masters of pop art. His work aroused conflicting opinions: some argued that Warhol was a satirist who emphasized the consumer nature of American life, others believed that all his "masterpieces" were exclusively a commercial project, well-organized self-promotion aimed at generating income.

The artist himself, being a genius master of shocking and self-irony, promoted art not as something extraordinary and worthy of worship, but as creativity aimed at the broad masses. Warhol is considered the most commercially popular artist of the last century. He was commissioned for portraits of Mick Jagger, the Iranian Shah's family and other celebrities, and his most expensive painting, Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster), was sold in 2013 for $ 1,054,000.

In 1963, Andy Warhol bought an abandoned building in Manhattan, where he opened a studio, calling it the "Factory". It was here that Andy's team of assistants multiplied his masterpieces using the silk-screening method, here he shot his films, which, however, few people watched. In the building of the "Factory", parties were constantly held, people of art and journalists, models and other representatives of bohemia gathered.

In 1964, another exhibition of works by its owner was held in the "Factory", where installations from used containers and other utilitarian items were presented. Warhol received not only the title of King of Pop Art, but also the leading representative of modern conceptual art.

Assassination attempt

In June 1968, Andy Warhol was assassinated by the famous feminist and model, Valerie Solanas, who starred in one of his films. Having received three bullets in the stomach, Andy miraculously survived. He suffered clinical death and serious surgery, and the consequences of this incident haunted him for the rest of his life.

Warhol did not file a lawsuit against the girl, but Valeria had already received three and a half years in prison. As for Andy, he faced long-term treatment and wearing a corset, and his fear of doctors, illness and death only intensified. Also, in memory of Andy's assassination attempt and operation, there were terrible scars that the artist did not hesitate to show in front of cameras.

In spite of everything, the artist will continue to create. In 1979, he took up painting a car, and in 1983, at the request of wildlife advocates, created a series of silk-screen prints called Endangered Species. This includes images of the Amur tiger, tree frog, black rhino, Grevy's zebra, giant panda and other endangered animals. These works will be exhibited at the Darwin Museum in Moscow in March 2017.

Personal life

Andy Warhol never advertised his personal life, but he also did not hide his connections, both friendly and loving. For a long time, Warhol was credited with an affair with his muse and girlfriend, model Edie Sedgwick. They were inseparable, dressed the same, dyed their hair, nails, wore similar hairstyles, Edie starred in Andy's films and posed for pictures.

When the couple broke up, rumors circulated about drug addiction of both representatives of pop culture, but there is no official confirmation that Warhol was a drug addict. It is unlikely that Andy and his muse were connected by something other than creativity, because the great artist of our time had many male lovers.

Death

What did Andy Warhol die of? This question worries many fans of his work. The artist died at the age of 58 at the Manhattan Hospital after having surgery to remove his gallbladder. The official cause of death is cardiac arrest. It happened on February 22, 1987.

Andy Warhol's legacy

Warhol's philosophy was his close look at life, self-irony and the ability to see the world from a different angle. The artist transferred all this to canvases, sincerely believing that commercial painting has a right to exist, and there is nothing wrong with that.

The style of Andy's paintings can be described as naturalistic pop art, although he often used generalizing pictorial means. So, portraits of celebrities have idealized features and resemble a scant sketch, a squeeze from the personality of a particular character. Bright colors convey the mood of the artist, and the neon tones used by him at the end of his life are downright screaming about unspoken thoughts and feelings.

The description of the master's paintings is a thankless task. It is better to see his canvases once and feel the information message that Andy wanted to convey to the public, rather than study encyclopedias dedicated to his work.

• "America";
• The Andy Warhol Diaries;
• "Philosophy of Andy Warhol (from A to B and vice versa)".

Andy's ideas and talent continue to inspire artists, advertisers, creative people and business people. Thus, a sketch of glasses found in Warhol's archival papers prompted the Retrosuperfuture brand to create a collection of sun-protection accessories. Many fashion brands use various works of the master to create prints for collections of clothes, wallpapers, bags and other designer items.

1. Several films have been made about Andy's work, in others he appears in a cameo role. Films about him - "I shot Andy Warhol", "I seduced Andy Warhol."
2. In the tape "Basquiat", dedicated to the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, the role of Warhol was played by the legendary.
3. The most famous film in our country that mentions Warhol is "What Men Talk About".
4. The famous magazine Interview, in which celebrities interviewed other stars, Andy Warhol created to attend movie premieres.

He was considered one of the most famous artists in America. But ordinary people were attracted not so much by his work as by his lifestyle. Scandals, bold statements in the press. All this worked for the image of the king of pop art. It seemed that he was born and raised in this environment, where an eternal holiday atmosphere reigned, and new stars lit up every day.

Childhood and adolescence of the future celebrity

Only a few knew that about twenty years ago Andy Warhol, whose paintings became insanely popular, was a completely different person. He was born in industrial Pittsburgh in 1928 to a simple family of immigrants from Slovakia. And he often wondered why life was so unfair to him. Someone bathes in luxury, but he has to wear clothes for older brothers. After all, he is no worse than the children of the rich. Moreover, nature has awarded him with talent. He could draw remarkably.

In one thousand nine hundred and forty-seven, the future artist Andy Warhol entered the technical university at the faculty of design art. His parents gave all their savings for his training. Andy was just happy. He finally got into a creative atmosphere.

Moreover, many fellow students and educators admired the talent that Andy Warhol possessed. His works were full of energy, they literally breathed life. And no one knew that this capable guy had far-reaching plans. He wanted not just to paint, but to make a lot of money on it.

The beginning of creative activity

Immediately after graduating from university in 1949, Andy moved to New York. It was a city in which, he believed, everyone could become a star. And the first thing he did was buy a white elegant suit and started looking for work. Andy Warhol fulfilled all received orders with talent and on time. And all his leaders were very pleased with him.

Suddenly, the humble young man showed another unique quality. He, better than many artists, grasped the conjuncture of the market. And I intuitively felt how to present an advertising image in a talented and beautiful way.

His first professional job was creating illustrations for the article "Success". It was a job for Glamor magazine. A year later, he made an anti-drug poster for a little-known youth broadcast about youth problems, and the poster itself was recognized as the best advertisement of the year.

Complete image change

Andy's fees went up sharply. But he wanted fame, public recognition and social life. Then Andy Warhol, whose paintings today are considered the best in the art of pop art, decides to completely change his image and style of work.

Now he did not miss a single trendy party. He soon becomes his own among the bohemian audience. He was considered a funny guy, a budding artist. But Warhol didn't like that. There were many like him, but he wanted to be the only one.

The emergence of a new direction in art

At this time, pop art began to emerge in America. A direction where anything could become an object for painting. Newspaper clippings, flashy advertisements, or cartoon characters. Andy was never afraid to experiment. And he began to work in this direction.

In one thousand nine hundred and fifty-second, his first solo exhibition took place in New York. But she was not successful. Andy didn't despair. He continued to look for new looks and techniques, tried new color combinations, and continued to attend numerous parties.

In 1962, another exhibition of works created by Andy Warhol opened in Los Angeles. The pictures on it puzzled many spectators who came. The expositions resembled supermarket shelves. On the walls were pictures of Coca-Cola, dollars, soup cans. Moreover, they are repeated many times.

But the shock was instantly replaced by delight. This was exactly what everyone was waiting for. Glossy product labels, American beauty. Oddly enough, but before Andy Warhol, it never occurred to anyone to depict what millions of Americans admired: the world of money and things.

The birth of a new king

So in just a few hours, from a little-known advertising artist, albeit earning about one hundred and fifty thousand a year, Andy Warhol, whose paintings made a splash, turned into the king of pop art.

Right at the exhibition, he was asked what he intends to paint now. And Andy, without hesitation, replied that maybe even But painted by Merlin Monroe. He chose acidic inks for printing.

Famous paintings by Andy Warhol. Photo images

The image of the actress turned out to be strange. Lemon hair and brightly colored lips. No one has ever painted the main sex symbol of Hollywood this way. After all, everyone is used to considering her a beautiful empty doll. In fact, she was a deeply unhappy woman. The artist again subtly captured the mood of millions.

After her death, Monroe became an idol. And all the objects that reflect the image became insanely popular, including this work - a painting by Merlin Monroe. Andy Warhol was inspired by this idea, and he, deciding that he was heading in the right direction, created a whole series of portraits of the idols of the sixties: the king of rock and roll Elvis Presley, actress Elizabeth Taylor, boxer and many other stars. People have turned into images.

Thousands of new portraits

He never forced his models to pose. Why spend long hours in a workshop when you have a Polaroid? Andy gave up oil paints altogether. What's the point when there is silkscreen printing. The face made with this technique was perfect. No wrinkles, no pimples, no Exactly how the layman likes it.

Moreover, with the help of this technique, it was possible to make not one portrait, but hundreds and even thousands. Andy Warhol's portraits became incredibly popular. And he did not hide the fact that he had a new goal. He wanted to put contemporary art on the conveyor belt. And in one thousand nine hundred and sixty-three, he opened his factory.

Setting up your own factory

This room, painted silver, was both a club, an apartment and a workshop. Artists, musicians, directors and just bright personalities came here. Someone danced, sang, others were just discussing the latest news, and Andy was creating at this time. True, the lion's share of the work was done by assistants. Cut out stencils, poured paint into them. Warhol only directed the process.

He did not invite anyone to his factory. They came there themselves and were happy if they could be of any use to Andy Warhol. Surrounding himself with strange people, he drew his inspiration from this atmosphere.

One day, this tireless seeker of new ideas comes up with the idea of ​​filming his sleeping friend. After watching the material received, Andy decides to make a movie. From that day on, filming at the factory went on constantly.

Creative calm

And the seventies were years of calm for Warhol. He made portraits for wealthy clients and portrayed new idols: Lisa Minnelli, Diana Ross, John Lennon and other stars. He continued to be the highest paid artist. He was called a legendary man.

Andy Warhol's personal exhibitions were held in Italy, France, Holland. And in one thousand nine hundred and seventy-fifth, he even visited Moscow, where a collection of exhibitions of contemporary art was opened.