Warhol was best known as the pioneer of the pop art movement who donned iconic white hair, threw infamous Factory parties, and mass-produced Campbell’s soup prints as art. So in preparation of the High Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition of Andy Warhol: Prints from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation (opening June 3rd), we wanted to share some curious facts about the artist for you to dish out at the museum’s upcoming Warhol Factory Party.
1. Andy was denied membership to his high school’s art club because he was better than his fellow students. (source, image)
2. While attending Carnegie Mellon University, he served as the art editor for their student magazine, Cano. (source, image)
3. His first published piece was an illustration for a Glamour magazine article, titled “Success is a Job in New York.” (source, image)
4. Continuing as an advertising illustrator, he paired up with Suzie Frankfurt to create a cookbook called Wild Raspberries (titled after a Bergman film by the name of Wild Strawberries). (source, image)
5. Warhol was a man of many talents and also went on to make 60+ films, founded Interview magazine, wrote books, produced the Velvet Underground’s first album, and produced three shows: Fashion, Andy Warhol’s T.V., and Andy Warhol’s Fifteen Minutes. (source, image)
6. In addition to his silkscreen work, Andy also created what came to be known as his ‘piss paintings’. According to our source, “In these paintings the canvases were prepared with copper paint that was then oxidized with urine. Sometimes boys who came to lunch, and drank too much wine, were asked by Andy to help him with his oxidation paintings. They found it funny and even flattering to help Andy ‘paint’.” (source, image)
7. Prior to moving into his infamous Factory space, he set up his painting studio in an abandoned firehouse. (source, image)
8. He was infamous for hoarding things and over the course of 13 years went on to create and fill 611 ‘time capsules’ with his possessions. Oddities encapsulated included various cookie jars, a mummified foot, and a bag full of Dali’s used palettes. (source, image)
9. Warhol had a nickname of “Drella” which also went on to be the name of his drag-queen alter ego. It was a combination of “Dracula” and “Cinderella.” (source, image)
10. His infamous use of multiple paintings in a series came about after he felt a need to stand out against other pop art works of the time like those of Roy Lichtenstein. (source, image)