Clemson Hosting Andy Warhol Exhibitition

The first gallery exhibition of the spring semester at Clemson University features original art from one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century: Andy Warhol. “Warhol: Portraits and the Everyday” is on display at Lee Gallery, the primary exhibition space for Clemson Visual Arts (CVA).

The exhibition is open to to the public 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday through March 6. 

In conjunction with the exhibition, Jonathan Flatley, author of “Like Andy Warhol,” will deliver a special presentation about the artist during a guest appearance on Jan. 25 from 6-7 p.m. in the Lee Hall auditorium.

“Warhol: Portraits and the Everyday” showcases the artist’s practice through three distinct but related platforms: Polaroid portraits; black-and-white photographs; and his large, colorful, screen-printed portraits. By bringing these three creative pursuits together in one gallery, viewers will get a snapshot of Warhol’s fluid approach to art and life.

Warhol’s Polaroid portraits of celebrities, couples and individuals were created as resource material for his larger commissioned screen prints. The collection of Polaroids in the exhibit present individuals in repeated but slightly different positions as directed by Warhol during their photo sessions. When viewed together, the Polaroids reveal subtle changes of expressions by the sitters. They also provide a thought-provoking counterpoint to the current fascination with selfies and the mediated presentations of identity through social media platforms.

Warhol’s black-and-white photographs function as a documentation of the people, places, objects and activities unfolding around him every day. For the viewer, they provide insight into the life of a famous artist, but for Warhol they were a way to collect and record things he liked and might potentially use later as a resource.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Lee Gallery Director Denise Woodward-Detrich at woodwaw@clemson.edu.