Sunday 9 June 2013

Warhol: Immortal at Te Papa

Warhol: Immortal is a new exhibition at Te Papa featuring the work of pop artist Andy Warhol. On Thursday night, we had a guided tour with the exhibition's curator, Sarah Farrar. Sarah is obviously both passionate and knowledgeable about Warhol's work and her enthusiasm was contagious. It was great to be able to revisit the exhibition after the guided tour and take a closer look at the art works in more detail.

Warhol's early works in the form of commercial art resemble something akin to graphic design today. The exhibition is mostly made up of portraits and self-portraits, which exemplifies Warhol's fascination with people. There are also video screen tests and art works made of visitors to his studio, The Factory. You can even make your own screen test, if you're that way inclined. (If you're not familiar with The Factory, Factory Girl (2006) with Guy Pearce playing Warhol is somewhere to start.)

The most notably different art work in this exhibition comes in the form of silver helium clouds floating about in a room covered with cow wallpaper. Despite how it sounds, it's actually quite delightful! Warhol's blacklit Last Supper was also quite stunning.

Most of the works are on loan from the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania so this is not a permanent exhibition. If you're interested in learning about something a bit different, check out Warhol: Immortal, which is on at Te Papa until 25 August. (Admission charges apply.) You'll discover there is so much more to Andy Warhol than Campbell's Soup Cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits.

1 comment:

Kiwi Baker Girl said...

We were in Wellington yesterday and were hoping to go to Warhol but, unfortunately we simply had no time. Hope to get down there again soon to go and see it.