andy warhol: unseen polaroids from 1970 to 1987

‘caroline, princess of monaco’, 1983 polacolor er; 4-1/4 x 3-3/8 in. all images © the andy warhol center for the visual arts

andy warhol: polaroids UC berkeley art museum, berkeley, california, USA january 27th until may 20th, 2012

UC berkeley art museum presents an installation of polaroids taken by andy warhol during the period of 1970 to 1987. the collection donated to the university museum is one of portraits depicting people of varied backgrounds including royalty, athletes, and musicians in addition to unknown individuals all photographed against a plain white backdrop. similar to the techniques of antiquated portraiture, several sitters are pictured with a prop indicative of their personality. the series of unknown photographs is comprised of polaroids typically created as the framework for commissioned silkscreened portraits by the artist.

the casual relationship observed between the sitter and the photographer in this series was enhanced by warhol dining with his subjects before beginning each photoshoot. the tight framing and nearness of each subject within the image enhances the quality of informal interaction between warhol and the individuals whom he photographed. additionally, the series speaks to the artist’s fixation on the notions of art work as spectacle while investigating america’s definition of ‘high society’, which was changing rapidly when these images were captured.

‘now it doesn’t matter if you came over on the mayflower, so long as you can get into studio 54. anyone rich, powerful, beautiful, or famous can get into society. if you’re a few of those things you can really get to the top.‘ -andy warhol

‘unidentified girl (blue t-shirt with teddy bear)’, 9/1979 polacolor type 108; 4-1/4 x 3-3/8 in.

the ‘unidentified girl (blue t-shirt with teddy bear)’ is, in fact, a member from the youth of warhol’s vision for america’s ‘new high society’– she is jade, the daughter of the rolling stones frontman mick and his wife, bianca jagger.

‘r.c. gorman’, 1979; polacolor type 108 4-1/4 x 3-3/8 in.

left: ‘tom seaver’, 1977; polacolor type 108; 4-14 x 3-3/8 in right: ‘daryl lillie’, 11/1978; polacolor 2; 4-14 x 3-3/8 in.

daryl lillie is pictured wearing thick makeup including white foundation, black eyeliner and bright lipstick in order to help flatten the photograph, making for an image more readily transferred to screen-print.

left: ‘heather watts’, after june 1986; polacolor er; 4-1/4 x 3-3/8 in. right: ‘pia zadora’, 1983; polacolor er; 4-1/4 x 3-3/8 in