If anybody deserves a statue in New York, it’s Andy Warhol. After all, he’s probably the most important American artist of the 20th century. The city had a life size figure of Andy installed near his factory studio in Union Square and not far from his favorite hang-out Max’s Kansas City. We’re not sure why the artist, Rob Pruitt, chose a chrome finish, but we love the fact that Andy is wearing his camera and holding a full shopping bag. Andy ALWAYS had a shopping bag – he stopped at all the thrift shops on his way to work and collected whatever tickled his fancy.
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I never saw him as a great artist (don’t flog me). However, he was an entertaining and incredibly interesting character/person. A great celebrity? You betcha.
I enjoyed his celebrity paintings (Monroe, Elvis, Elizabeth Taylor….etc.). The paintings of Campbell Soup cans were a bit much for me and found them merely amusing. Yes, I have heard the arguments about them but they are still oversized soup cans.
Glad to see he got his statue. Yes, it is overdue.
Walt makes great points. The “paintings” he made famous wer basically just repititions of the same theme over and over and tho they WERE interesting, I was surpirsed he didn’t come up with something ELSE for each celebrity he “painted”. To me, they looked more like something he made up on a computer and anyone today can manuipulate a picture with the products out that can enhance them.
Warhol was a huge “product” just in himself and his image and personality and persona. it was a time and place he moved thru that was unique and helped in his creation and supported his flamboyance and decadence.
As for the monument I think it should just say Andy Warhol and his contributions perhaps on the other panels. But to actually put “monument” on a monument is redundant.
I would think he is chrome as the wall so the factory were famous for being silver.
Another thing that I liked about him (probably my most favorite) is the people that were around him and drawn to him. He was an interesting artistic misfit and those were the types surrounding him. I loved that about him.
Remember …..
…Edie Sedgwick…..Jackie Curtis….Viva….John Giorno…..The Velvet Underground. Plus, he was card carrying member of Studio 54 & the fabulous people.
Another famous, obvious Aspie.
So many of them in show biz.
finally: this statue means>>>>>>>>> A NO-GO-AREA!!!!
The statue must have been financed by someone Warhol wasn’t mean to, or someone who made money from him.
Perhaps it was financed by his foundation? In any event, it recognizes another aspect of New York history and culture. The chrome is a very nice touch.
Walt, your point is well taken. He WAS art in himself in the whole ATMOSPHERE that swirled around him, ebbed and flowed with him and lived and died around in that decadent culture of depravity and drugs at all costs with Studio 54 as their church of worship and his place of inspiration and support. I think they all lived and breathed as one entity and carried the dead and dying forward in their tight circus, keeping them up all the longer so their feet wouldn’t touch the floor. That he winds up chromed is only justice and makes perfect sense to me. The only OTHER logical material would be solid flubber! How FUN that would be! Let’s PLAY! BOUNCE BOUNCE….
The chrome probably represents the famous aluminum foil covered walls at The Factory.
As well as his Silver Clouds (shiny silver mylar balloons).
and now Andy is in walking distance from the location that was once the hippest underground nightclub of all time,Max’s Kansas City!