Andy Warhol: Beyond the Brand
It’s so interesting how things you gravitate to in school end up forming the bedrock of a lot of interests you have later on in life. While studying Art for my GCSE’s, I remember falling in love with Pop Art. I found it so fascinating especially in the ways bold and bright hues would be used to convey really thought-provoking messages. In studying this era, of course the first artist that popped up was none other than Andy Warhol.
If there ever was a poster child for a specific art movement, Andy Warhol would most definitely be it for Pop Art. What I found interesting about this exhibition was how it examined his close affinity for the world of advertising and commerce. As a major fan of the hit series, Mad Men (literally I’m always begging people to watch it!) I enjoyed seeing things through Mr Warhol’s lens and how he drew inspiration from everyday adverts, commercial products and cultural icons.
“I guess I’m a commercial artist. I guess that’s the score.”
The man was simply obsessed with brands and the storytelling element of conveying what that brand meant to the wider public. Although it was interesting to see his take on this, I did question his usage of some iconic brands in his work in regards to the IP of it all and whether he ran into any issues legally as a result. After a brief search, I found that he did and even has long after his death - yikes!
Anywho…☕️
I really enjoyed learning more about his approach and also learning about how he inspired other generations of artists e.g. Keith Haring.
Some of Haring’s work was also on display, particularly the ones that made use of the ‘Andy Mouse’ - a reocurring motif he used that not only paid homage to Andy Warhol whom he considered a friend and a mentor, but also was used to offer “a wry look at global fame and celebrity culture.” I’m a fan of anything that seeks to further interrogate a specific space or thought because nothing is ever as it seems. It was fun to take a peak into his world and approach as an artist and see the connections and differences in both their work.
Overall, I had a great time and loved going with my mum, who is genuinely my best friend. She also told me such a precious anecdote when she saw the Marilyn Monroe portraits and the quote above them:
Apparently, that quote is the reason she started wearing perfume to bed and witnessing her do that is the reason I incorporated it into my bedtime routine as well! So it was amazing to learn more about where that little routine came from! It also reminded me of an episode of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (another one of my faves, hehe) where we got to see that Midge’s routine was carefully crafted after and quite literally mirrored her mother’s routine. Mothers and Daughters - one of the most special bonds God has created.
S I C K L E S E C R E T S
It was a cloudy day but we had some sunshine here & there so I went for a layered outfit that could suit whichever way the weather was leaning. I wore a knit top with some cropped jeans, my Doc Marten boots and a trench coat. I fortified myself with leg thermals, socks, and a cardigan I wore over the knit top because let’s be real trench coats keep you covered but not necessarily warm.
I’d say it was a good day in the intentional dressing department, although it did get a lot colder later on in the evening and perhaps would have worn a thicker cardigan to avoid getting as cold as I got!
The exhibition itself was split across two separate buildings and I appreciated that in the first building there was a seating option downstairs and so that helped when I needed to take a break and drink some more water. Also, the fact that there were beanbags in the 2nd building as part of the Haring display was really nice and that also enabled me to take a breather before finally leaving the exhibition. The only thing I would’ve loved was an elevator to get us between the floors of the exhibition but other than that I’d give it a solid 7.5/10 in regards to mobility.