January 31 2008- ARTS
Warhol Meets Regina
- by James Brotheridge“Andy Warhol’s greatest work of art was Andy Warhol,” said Nat Finkelstein. That quote appears in the new exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery – Warhol: Larger Than Life.
The MacKenzie is one of only three galleries in Canada to get this exhibit. It features 150 works from the artist, including painting, drawings, Polaroids, film clips, sculptures, news clippings, and personal letters, all trying to give a personal, comprehensive portrait of the enigmatic artist.
The exhibit covers the works of Andy Warhol, the 20th century’s most recognized visual artist. Painter, sculptor, filmmaker, and all around artistic instigator, Warhol had a profound impact on the cultural world of his time, spearheading the pop art movement. During his heyday in the 1960s, he made a great impression with his representations of corporate icons and products. This expanded to include portraits of celebrities and well-known figures.
All are linked to his love of examining the iconography of objects and individuals. Warhol was obsessed with popular culture and the images that arose from that. His famous Campbell’s soup cans – on display in this exhibit – are his most familiar exploration of this.
Visitors to the exhibition will see a well-rounded view of the artist’s work. A variety of clips from his films – including footage of the group the Velvet Underground in all their glory – are being shown. As well, early drawings featuring his mother’s handwriting are being shown.
The big pieces – the self-portraits, the Campbell’s soup cans, the celebrity portraits – are all present. There’s a wall of Chairman Mao paintings backed by Mao wallpaper, a clever comment on the propagandist nature of celebrity and a subversion of his usual image.
However, a specific Canadian spirit is also brought to the exhibition. Portraits of prominent Americans – Mick Jagger, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Onassis – appear next to some big figures in Canadian history. A pair of Wayne Gretzky portraits appear next to a letter from the hockey star talking about what an honour it was to sit for Warhol. Next to that, a young Conrad Black stares out. The people who organized the exhibition also took great care to chronicle Warhol’s first misfire of an art tour in Canada. There’s no doubt that his stay in Regina, after the grand success of the Fafard exhibit, will yield much better results.
“I wouldn’t put myself out as an art expert but even I understood how significant this show would be for our capital,” commented Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.
Warhol: Larger Than Life will be at the MacKenzie Art Gallery from Jan. 27 to Apr. 20. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students. Admission for children under the age of 12 is free.
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