Sunday, February 15, 2015

We're All in Warhol's World

by MK Carr

It's safe to say Warhol has made one of the largest impacts on the contemporary art world, and being able to see a collection of his works is quite a profound experience. Upon entering the gallery guests are greeted by the cheerful expression of a cow in vivid pink and yellow. This cow is a typical Warhol, taking the iconic face of Borden Milk and placing her in a way that extends the viewer’s mind beyond the product to consumerism more broadly. Prints such as Sitting Bull show the same vivid color as Warhol’s renowned Marilyn Monroe images and even the cows, but somehow the solemn expression of the American Indian exudes a presence all of his own. Having Native American ancestry and a love for all things tribal, Warhol’s Cowboys and Indian prints intrigued me the most, every wrinkle on Sitting Bull’s face telling a story of the trials of the American Indian. In the final gallery, Warhol’s Brillo boxes [by Charles Lutz, not Warhol] further bring a “larger than life” feel not to a celebrity or influential race, but to an everyday object, once again reinforcing Warhol’s oft-known theme of consumerism.

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