Andy Warhol: A man of New York, a man of the World
Warhol spent most of his life in New York City. The map below demonstrates the different places he frequented, the different locations of his Factory and some of the first galleries to exhibit his works. Ever heard of the phrase “location, location, location”? Well Warhol’s studio location was essential since it was the place were many people gathered. Notice how the Factory is always located in the heart of the city, in the middle of all the action. This was important because Warhol led a very public life and always surrounded himself with an entourage of celebrities. He was always at the center of the action, like a king surrounded by courtiers trying to get his attention and win his favor (Wollen 13). He was not just famous for his art but also for himself.
The Factory was also a very important part of his identity because it was where he produced his art. He called his studio a “factory” for a specific reason. It was a place not of individual artistic expression but of mechanical production through the use of machines, Warhol of course being the most advanced machine in charge of all the rest (Bergin 360). Warhol’s entourage of machines followed his lead and attempted to become non-individuals and works of art themselves, copying his idiosyncrasies, so that no one was unique. As a machine, Warhol was obsessed with conformity and wanted everyone and everything to be the same (Whiting 71).
“I like things to be the same over and over again. I don’t want to be essentially the same- I want to be exactly the same. Because the more you look at the same exact thing, the more the meaning goes away, and the better and emptier you feel” (Foster 119).
– Andy Warhol
View Andy Warhol’s New York in a larger map
Warhol first started his works as a fine artist in the early sixties and died in 1987 and yet, his works have been and continue to be exhibited around the work for decades. This map shows the expanse of Warhol’s popularity within art communities that go far beyond the reach of New York City and extend beyond his lifetime.
View Andy Warhol’s Solo Exhibitions in a larger map
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