Andy Warhol Museum

Sun., Aug. 3

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol as most of us know, is well known for his radical pop art silk-screens of Campbell’s soup cans and bananas. He was a major mover and shaker in the Greenwich Village underground scene hobnobbing with the likes of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and other celebrities. He started Interview magazine, a magazine about celebrity. And “held court” at his club—I forget the name of it now.

Looking at his old artwork--ink drawings of delicate ankle boots and chairs with whimsical scripted text, it is clear he has always been interested in graphic design. And I suppose the gaudy scribbles over his sloppy silk-screens of Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor are supposed to be commentaries on celebrity and fame, but are they? Really? They seem simple and appealing to teens who like bright colors and pretty people.

My favorite pieces in the whole seven floors were two early paintings by Mondrian—the guy who does those blocks of black and white and blue and red. These early paintings were impressionistic depictions of windmills and landscape with the colors all wrong, but so right—you really saw the light as it would have appeared at dusk. 1907 these paintings were done.

I kept expecting to see some Nan Goldin—another artist who presents the seedy underground scene in New York (but with heart). Here’s some of her work on the Guggeinheim website:

http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_works_192_0.html

Was thinking of purchasing a Velvet Underground CD in the gift shop, but thought better of it.

One of the Warhol quotes that caught my attention: “I never read. I just look at pictures.” If he was being serious then I have to assume he’s an idiot. But if he was trying to be tricky and sarcastic and saying, you silly people worshipping me when I spend all my days looking at pretty pictures, well, then, we should stop worshipping him. Not a fan of Andy Warhol or of pop art.