Andy Warhol’s art immortalized many stars. For his famous portraits of figures like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Mao, he frequently used existing images from the press and advertising. He transformed these source images into artworks with an exceptionally strong iconic effect. At the same time, his works found their way back into the very media landscape from which their original images came and continue to be reproduced in a wide variety of contexts to this day.
Using significant works from the Marx Collection, the exhibition exemplifies how the timeless impact of Warhol’s art arises from a unique interplay of construction and deconstruction. Warhol idealizes the images of stars, presenting both individual motifs and serial repetitions of the same image. In this way, he creates cult works that convey both the aura of the unique and the impact of serial production. Beyond glorifying pop icons, Warhol amplifies their presence through reproduction — much like a successful brand. He doesn’t even spare himself: the Andy Warhol brand itself becomes part of this visual production. Through his portrayal of popular stars, the artist himself becomes a celebrated figure and a symbol of a mass-market, glamorous visual culture he created.
Celebrities.
Andy Warhol und die Stars
Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin
02.10.2008 - 11.01.2009
Kuratoren
Anette Hüsch,
Joachim Jäger
Szenografie
chezweitz & roseapple,
Detlef Weitz und Rose Epple mit Holger Jansen, Susanne Stetzer
