The art of Andy Warhol was a commentary about the condition of society as well as their obsession with fame and the famous. This included Andy, because he was completely enchanted by the American royalty of celebrities and celebrities. He was fascinated with the ability that television had over the everyday person and saw the glowing box as something which was worshipped more often than many people visit church.
His art reflected his belief for the reason that if you take what we may see as just part of our everyday life and showing us how embedded it is within our psyche as well as in exactly what we do. Consider the Campbell’s Soup Can art. Could it be only a soup can? Was it a ‘just’ a soup can before Warhol’s works became famous? No, Campbell’s Soup was already a highly established household name. Did Warhol paint them because it meant something? Warhol stated that the paintings represented nothing. No intent, no concept with no meaning.
Art however is not about the artist’s intention; it’s about the receiver’s use of their very own meaning. Every decade that goes by, you will see new meanings applied to an artist’s works depending on the events of the age by which they’re viewed. Warhol’s works could today be viewed as an expose on the condition of our throw away lifestyle. This may even be said about Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe Painting.
Just as a can of the Campbell’s Soup, Marilyn was iconic, filled her admirer’s with a warm, good feeling after which was carelessly emptied and thrown away. Within the great stretch of time, perhaps Warhol was right, the paintings are of nothing, the soup means nothing and maybe Marilyn was treated by society within the very same way. So many people love her now, to this day. Can an individual’s life and accomplishments be condensed to a painting that represents nothing?
Warhol’s paintings can definitely make one think about what the priorities of humanity are. The things that we put a lot importance on are extremely fleeting so when they are made bigger than life on a canvas, they force us to consider our mortality. A lot of Warhol’s works were in ways tied very heavily to religion.
He earned use of gold leaf within the tradition of iconic paintings of Byzantine Catholics. In Gold Marilyn Monroe depicts her iconic status, the worship of her admirers and the sheer loneliness of her life. Her face is painted as if she were in a newsprint advertisement, another discard within our lives. Warhol continually brought attention to the fame that elevated objects and people to a religious following.
It’s tough to create a strong emotional connection simply by studying a Warhol painting. Only those that curently have a preconceived emotional tie to the subject of his paintings can seem to be anything from their store. They are doing however, immediately invoke a memory, and those memories spark emotions. Taking a look at Marilyn Monroe in a Warhol painting often means nothing to the viewer should they have never heard of Marilyn Monroe and her story.
Art by Veny is the premiere online memorial for Boston’s own fine artist, Veny. Art by Veny is the showcase which allows art appreciators from all within the globe, the chance to buy acrylic paintings as well as to commission original, custom art by Veny herself.