Andy Warhol: Celebrity Portraits
Andy Warhol is proof that no one is immune to the admiration of the glittery and glamorous allure that Hollywood has to offer. Although a successful artist himself, and considered by most to be a celebrity during his time, Warhol became rather infamous for his obsession with celebrities and Hollywood. Many speculate that Warhol’s fixation comes from a personal interest in the hypocrisy of Hollywood: the fine line between what is real and what is false. “I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They’re beautiful. Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic.” He understood the influence of celebrity because he himself was engulfed in that culture. Warhol was even vocal about his love of tabloid magazines: “I love my enquirer gift subscription that someone gave me for Christmas. Everything they say is true." Warhol took celebrity icons and cemented their celebrity in his portraits. He often produced portraits of iconic and glamorous women. These women represented something to Warhol: love. America loved these women because they were beautiful and successful. That’s why Warhol loved them too. Some of Andy Warhol's celebrity portraits include, but are not limited to: Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Elvis, Mao Zedong, Grace Kelly, Judy Garland, John Lennon, Queen Elizabeth, John Wayne, Aretha Franklin, Debbie Harry, and Liza Minnelli.
To learn more about the following celebrity portraits, click on the corresponding link:
The following video is an audio clip of Andy Warhol being interviewed by Edward Lucie Smith for BBC Radio in 1981.
In this clip, Warhol discusses how he chooses his portrait subjects,
what he looks for when he makes a portrait, and why he often repeats images .
The following video is a clip of the Beverly Hills Revolver Gallery's traveling exhibit "Andy Warhol: Icons and Symbols."
In this clip, you can see some of Warhol's famous portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Mao Zedong, John Wayne, and Elizabeth Taylor.
The exhibit was on display at the Malibu Lumber Yard in October 2013.