Andy Warhol

1930(?)-1987

In June of 1968, the troubled young Valerie Solanas entered the factory and shot Andy Warhol at close range, nearly killing him. Upon her arrest, she offered the following explanation for her act; "He had too much control over my life!". Andy spent two months in the hospital, but he never fully recovered from the gunshot, and had to wear a bandage around his severely damaged torso for the rest of his life. While the incident was perhaps the most traumatic event in Andy Warhol's life, his return to the art scene was no less than triumphant. Andy Warhol had become a pop culture icons himself, as great as those he so often portrayed in his work. He kept helping struggling young artists such as the gifted Jean-Michel Basquiat, whom he tried to "clean up" and get off drugs. From the late 70s through 80s, Andy published Andy Warhol's Interview magazine, which redefined the periodical as a work of art; from it's beautiful cover paintings of celebrities to its avant-garde photo layouts, Interview was THE magazine to have on your coffee table if you were in tune with popular culture. Andy also had his own cable TV show called "Andy Warhol's Television", and he also wrote several books such as The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, and A: A Novel.

Andy also decide to continue his Death and Disaster series, which may not have been his most appealing work with the trendy elite, but to this day remains one of his most admired critical successes. In 1986, during one of his private showings in Milan, Andy found himself in too much pain to leave his hotel room; while he understood there was something really wrong with him, he refused to go to the hospital until one night, the pain returned and he decided to see a doctor. Andy was suffering from and acute gall bladder infection, and had to undergo surgery. He locked his valuables in a safe, and made his way to the hospital for what would be a routine procedure, but even though the operation was a success, Andy Warhol died on the morning of February 22nd, 1987.

Andy Warhol was one of the most important artists of the late 20th century, having made an incredible contribution to the art world, and popular culture. He constantly managed to break barriers while retaining the respect of critics and fans alike, although we're quite certain he did not consider their opinion a factor during the process of creation. Andy Warhol was also a paradox of the New York art scene, unpretentious, shy, yet visible, making the scene without really giving it that much importance. A publicly private man loved by all, and who's generosity was no doubt appreciated by the many artists who owe him their careers.

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