Image Analysis – Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst
In this essay I am going to be exploring two artefacts and discussing the relationships between them, considering the meanings behind them, the time and context. The first artefact I have chosen to explore is ‘Turquoise Marilyn’, which is Acrylic and Silkscreen on Linen created by Andy Warhol, 1964. The second artefact is ‘For the Love of God’, which is platinum cast of a human skull, studded with over 8500 diamonds, created by Damien Hirst, 2007. While I think these two artifacts offer multiple topics of interesting similarities I want to focus on the impact that society, technological developments, economic factors and formal innovations had on the artists. The main question I want to draw on in the essay on is how both of the artefacts raised questions at the times they were made because they both were so new and challenged previous styles and why the artists did this.
Andy Warhol was an American artist, born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was one of the founders of the Pop Art movement. One of the reasons that his work was so new and confused people, was because he was carrying on from the Abstract Expressionist movement and that was a very energetic way of painting with large canvases and rapid, spontaneous brush strokes completely different from the Pop Art style that Warhol used. The 1960’s Pop Culture became very cool for young people and it was the beginning of pop music and I think that is why Warhol became so famous because he epitomized the coolness of the new way of life; money, fame and uniqueness. ‘Turquoise Marilyn’, which is Acrylic and Silkscreen on Linen is part of a series of more than twenty Marilyn silk-screens all of which were done in different colours. Warhol produced the Marilyn series the year after she died. The photograph of Marilyn that Andy Warhol used for the whole Marilyn series was based on a publicity shot she had done for the 1953 movie ‘Niagara’ although there have been many claims that another photograph of her with
Andy Warhol was an American artist, born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was one of the founders of the Pop Art movement. One of the reasons that his work was so new and confused people, was because he was carrying on from the Abstract Expressionist movement and that was a very energetic way of painting with large canvases and rapid, spontaneous brush strokes completely different from the Pop Art style that Warhol used. The 1960’s Pop Culture became very cool for young people and it was the beginning of pop music and I think that is why Warhol became so famous because he epitomized the coolness of the new way of life; money, fame and uniqueness. ‘Turquoise Marilyn’, which is Acrylic and Silkscreen on Linen is part of a series of more than twenty Marilyn silk-screens all of which were done in different colours. Warhol produced the Marilyn series the year after she died. The photograph of Marilyn that Andy Warhol used for the whole Marilyn series was based on a publicity shot she had done for the 1953 movie ‘Niagara’ although there have been many claims that another photograph of her with
Bibliography: Hughes, Robert (1997). American Visions. http://eartfair.com/blog/did-anybody-really-know-pop-artist-andy-warhol/ (Accessed 15 May 2010), Hughes, Robert (1982). The Rise of Andy Warhol. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1982/feb/18/the-rise-of-andy-warhol/ (Accessed 12 May 2010) Boothe Luce, Clare (1964). Life Magazine,