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Andy Warhol is synonymous with modern day art. When most folks think modern art, they think of some or Warhol's most famous works. He was not only instrumental in the field of pop art, he was a fixture in the art community and New York City nightlife. His friends, all interesting characters themselves helped him produce some of the most surreal pieces of film in American history.
Andy Warhola, born Andrew Warhola, was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania to Ondrej and Julia Warhola, emigrants from Slovakia. As a child, Warhol developed chorea, a complication of scarlet fever that causes skin pigmentation blotchiness. His childhood was rough, having been abandoned by his mother and becoming an outcast at school. He identified solace in movie stars and radio.
Warhol's talent was recognized immediately after studying commercial art at what is now Carnegie Mellon University. He began his career as a magazine illustrator and advertising artist. He was later hired by RCA to style album covers and promo supplies.
Warhol ultimately showcased his function in many galleries in the early 1960s, becoming widely identified for his pop art based on icons like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Elvis Presley, while also showcasing a variety of household objects such as his well-known Campbell's Tomato Soup Cans, Brillo Boxes, and coke bottles. As his art began to grow in recognition, he began experimenting with silk-screening, films, and sculpture at "The Factory" (Warhol's studio on 47th Street in New York City).
Warhol was also recognized for coining the phrase "15 minutes of fame" stating that everybody gets their 15 minutes at some point in their life.
Soon after passing away in the 1980s due to complications from routine gall bladder surgery, most of his estate was auctioned off by Sotheby's (which took 9 days to complete due to the quantity of items that Warhol owned), yet his art continues to live on and inspire others.
