Short biography
Andy Warhol was an American artist of Lemko descent and one of the main representatives of pop art. He was born on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, as Andrew Warhola. His parents were poor immigrants from the working class, originally from northeastern Slovakia. He studied commercial design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He later moved to New York, where he initially worked as a commercial graphic designer before advancing his career as a painter, film director, and producer. He passed away on February 22, 1987, following a gallbladder surgery.
Works
Andy Warhol is known for his simple and repetitive compositions with high color contrast, created using the silkscreen printing technique. He painted everyday objects such as Campbell's Soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles, and soap dishes, as well as portraits of famous people like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Mao Zedong. He employed innovative approaches to image reproduction. His artworks aimed to critique consumerism and mass culture while blurring the boundaries between high and low art. Warhol was also a filmmaker, directing and acting in experimental films.
Interesting facts
Andy Warhol contracted Sydenham's chorea, also known as St. Vitus' dance, during his childhood, which had an impact on his appearance and personality. He found solace in drawing and collecting photographs of celebrities as a means of escape from loneliness.
He was a fan of taxidermy, the art of preserving and stuffing animals. He had many taxidermy specimens in his home and even created a series of paintings featuring stuffed animals.
He had a great love for cats. He owned 27 of them, and interestingly, 26 of them were named Sam.
He was a compulsive collector and kept cardboard boxes by his desk, filling them with interesting items he found throughout the day. After his death, approximately 600 of these boxes filled with various objects were discovered.
