This master of art
It's even more powerful than you think
They are all clocking in for "Becoming Andy Warhol" and finally come to Shanghai!
Over the past three months, this first panoramic exhibition of Warhol's artistic career has brought the UCCA Ullens Center for Contemporary Art to life in Beijing's 798 Art District. Many celebrities, including Ouyang Nana, Xu Weizhou, Liu Wen, Li Xian, and Li Sidani, have come to make pilgrimages.
On November 6, this phenomenal exhibition will land on UCCA Edge in Shanghai, triggering a new round of "Warhol boom".
Lee is now punching in the "Become Andy Warhol" exhibition Beijing station
To ask why it's so sensational, Andy Warhol's name alone explains it all. As one of the most famous contemporary art masters of the 20th century, if you don't mention him when you do the inventory, it will be considered a shoddy list.
The myth that "art must be higher than life" was shattered by him. To this day, Warhol and his well-known Can of Campbell Soup are still being copied wildly in popular life.
As the standard-bearer and world-class artist of Pop Culture, Warhol has influenced ordinary people from David Bowie and Bob Dylan to Jiang Wen to you and me.
The age of social networking was also prophesied by his famous "everyone can be famous for 15 minutes." Even now, the time limit for fame has been shortened to 15 seconds by short videos.
However, to see Warhol as a pop art legend is too limited. The biggest reason why the exhibition "Becoming Andy Warhol" attracts attention is precisely because it provides a panoramic view of Warhol's artistic career through a unique perspective.
This time, the UCCA Ullens Center for Contemporary Art has teamed up with the Andy Warhol Museum of Art from Pittsburgh to create this phenomenal exhibition.
After Warhol's death, it was this museum, founded in 1989, that has long devoted itself to the creation and life study of artists. Today, it has become the most authoritative benchmark for the study of Andy Warhol in the world today.
Nearly 400 works were carefully selected from the collection. There are several photographs and artists' documentary objects that were first lent by the Andy Warhol Museum. Visitors to the UCCA Edge exhibition will have the privilege of witnessing the first appearance of the works outside Pittsburgh.
Beyond Pop, Andy Warhol is a talented and diverse crossover artist.
01
Andy warhol
From immigrant kid to American idol
From Andy Warhol, we can see the "American Dream" that many people have pursued all their lives.
In the era of big consumption, this little boy from Pittsburgh turned out to be a world. He tore off the elitist cloak of art and transformed into a world-famous pop icon.
Warhol was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 to an ordinary Slovak immigrant family, the youngest son of the family. His mother, Julia Vojora, was interested in painting, which also influenced little Andy as a child.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in painting and design from Carnegie Tech. After graduating, he moved to New York and became a commercial illustrator, quickly becoming famous.
During this period, Warhol designed many shop windows for department stores, and became a star in the footwear advertising industry, known as "Shoe Da Vinci".
His mother, Julia, then moved in with him. Warhol liked his mother's flower script, not only using it in illustration, but also creating a lot of works about cats together.
In "Becoming Andy Warhol," both remakes of these works and historical photographs will be on display for the first time.
In the 1960s, mass media made consumer goods such as Kampar Soup cans a household name, and it became the inspiration for Warhol's first pop paintings.
The series immediately caused a sensation in the art world. At the 1964 "Supermarket of America" exhibition, his "Canned Campbell Soup" sold for $1500, and his signature was also bid for $6 a piece.
When he was accused of flattering commercialism, a discussion ensued: What exactly is art?
"Become Andy Warhol" exhibition Beijing station site
Not only Campbell Soup, but also silkscreen prints based on Brilo boxes, Coca-Cola, and Marilyn Monroe, have become Warhol's masterpieces.
By the 1980s, under the influence of the latest New York culture, Warhol refurbished the works. They have become smoother and flattered from hand-drawn paintings that once emphasized the pen, which shows the evolution of their creations with fashion trends.
In addition to painting, in the 1960s, Warhol also established his own studio in Midtown Manhattan, known as the "Silver Factory". Artists, musicians, and writers, including John Lennon and Salvador Dalí, are regular visitors to the area, earning it the nickname "New York Underground Cultural Center."
Warhol made a lot of experimental films in "The Factory.". Many of the people who appeared on camera became superstars. One after another popular heroine was born from here, and the famous movie star Edie Sedgwick was also among them.
In this exhibition, you can see remakes of more than 24 films, including its iconic Empire State Building, as well as the rare "Audition" series.
The "Silver Factory" also features an iconic red sofa.
It was picked up from the streets of New York by Andy Warhol's assistants and eventually became a social destination for celebrities.
In the "Become Andy Warhol" exhibition, there is a replica of the sofa. Sit up and feel as if you can touch that crazy star-making era.
"Become the red sofa of Andy Warhol" exhibition Beijing Station
In addition to film, Andy Warhol is also passionate about photography.
He took many portraits of contemporaries and collaborators. They were subsequently copied by the screen printing process, which was popular among New York celebrities and even became a major source of Warhol's income.
In 1968, Andy Warhol was nearly killed by a shooting and was rescued after 5 hours of surgery.
Such experiences also influenced his creations. Since then, elements of spirituality and fear of death have increasingly appeared in his work.
In the later years of his career, Warhol's creative style began to shift to abstract and conceptual art.
In the exhibition, for example, you can see his "Camouflage" and "Rorschach Ink Test" series.
This exhibition is co-curated by José Carlos Diaz, chief curator of the Andy Warhol Museum, and curator Patrick Moore.
The exhibition is born out of Warhol's latest academic research, with a particular focus on his artistic practice as a cinematographer and experimental filmmaker.
Not only that, the exhibition space is also led by Chen Xiaoxi, the former exhibition designer of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The design of the exhibition not only continues the visual idea of the Beijing station, but also fully plays the characteristics of the multi-layer space of UCCA Edge.
02
Shanghai welcomed an iconic art museum
On May 22 this year, UCCA Edge, an art museum located in Shanghai's Jing'an district, was officially inaugurated and opened to the public.
Nearly half a year after landing in Shanghai, UCCA Edge has been integrated into the city's cultural and leisure life, becoming a new art business card of Jing'an District.
It is located in Yingkai Cultural and Creative Plaza, north of Jing'an Joy City, south of Suzhou Creek, less than 2 kilometers away from People's Square and Nanjing Road business circle. Take metro lines 8 and 12 and you can go directly.
Yingkai Cultural and Creative Plaza, where UCCA Edge is located
As an art museum embedded in the heart of the capital, UCCA Edge is very much in line with the temperament of Shanghai.
People here have become accustomed to navigating a variety of spaces such as cafes, bookstores, boutiques, and art venues. Viewing the exhibition at the art museum, through the connection between their bodies and the city, penetrates into their daily lives and intertwines and symbiosis.
Photography / Judy
As a leading contemporary art institution in China, UCCA, which has been in China for 14 years, has also established its ability to create landmarks in the field of art.
As early as 2007, UCCA systematically presented China's most important contemporary art movement with its opening exhibition "'85 New Wave".
At the end of 2018, in the Aranya community of Qinhuangdao, the UCCA Dune Art Museum, the first branch of the UCCA Museum, was officially born.
In 2019, Beijing's Picasso exhibition "Picasso - The Birth of a Genius" once again created a grand situation of thousands of empty alleys.
In every step of the past 14 years, UCCA, as a witness, witness and leader of the development of Chinese contemporary art, has practiced the concept that art can go deep into life and improve life by presenting the highest level of exhibitions to the public.
The image is copyrighted by OMA Photography/Bianjie
UCCA Edge covers an area of 5,500 square meters and the building space was designed by SO – IL Architects in New York. Their work is widely collected by world-renowned institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, and has won many international awards.
So-IL Architects' tailor-made renovation for UCCA Edge breaks down the structural limitations of existing commercial buildings and opens up new possibilities for pavilion space located in office buildings.
The soundproof walls that distinguish the various exhibition areas allow people to get rid of all noise and focus on the journey of art appreciation.
The double-height of many places in the exhibition hall adds a variety of sensory experiences to the simple space, and also prepares for the enrichment of the exhibition form.
The large staircase from the 3rd floor exhibition hall to the 4th floor exhibition hall, and the specially added high steps intimately leave a place for the audience to take a break in the exhibition.
The audience can also fully appreciate the unique features of the UCCA Edge architecture.
Since its opening, UCCA Edge is taking root in the city with the highest level of exhibitions, activating the cultural vitality of the city with art.
The opening exhibition, "The City of Fluxus: Art and Shanghai at the Turn of the Century", has established its close connection to the city.
The year 2000 was a very lively year. Shanghai is about to leap into an international metropolis in the midst of economic take-off, and new experimental art is sprouting everywhere.
The opening exhibition brought together 26 well-known artists from home and abroad. Through their works with deep ties to Shanghai, looking back at the past 20 years, we can feel the changes that have surged between them.
Hu Jieming, "1999-2000 Legend"
"Liu Xiaodong: Your Friend," which will be shown in August, is UCCA Edge's first solo artist. After a decade, UCCA has once again sorted out the artistic practices of this Chinese neorealist painter.
Now, "Becoming Andy Warhol" is here as scheduled. In this annual blockbuster exhibition, the career of a world-class master artist will show an unprecedented look.
03
At UCCA Edge
Experience a new one-stop urban experience
Not only the exhibition, at UCCA Edge shanghai, you can find the most fashionable lifestyle.
Last Sunday, the Blue Label series of dossier bookstores was unveiled first.
Now, it is no longer just a paradise for architectural design enthusiasts, but a more diverse content of art, photography, fashion, pan-design, etc., which is more popular with most people.
Photo/Dossier Bookstore
On the shelves, more than 1,000 art books from more than 300 high-quality publishing houses and publishing labels around the world are gathered.
In the future, the content planning of the bookstore will also maintain a linkage with the art museum, bringing people experimental and original art activities.
After the wandering journey of the spiritual world, you can also enjoy the satisfaction of material life.
In December, UCCA Edge will also cross over the famous Italian three-michelin-starred restaurant DA VITTORIO and launch a new art gallery restaurant NEW WAVE by DA VITTORIO. The origin of the name "NEW WAVE" is the opening exhibition of UCCA in 2007, "'85 New Wave: China's First Contemporary Art Movement".
This restaurant is DA Vittorio's second restaurant in Asia and the Cerea family's first foray into the art gallery.
Located on the Bund, DA Vittorio Shanghai has only been open for two years, and has received a two-michelin rating from Shanghai, making it one of the city's hottest top restaurants.
The menu at NEW WAVE by DA Vittorio will continue to be overseen by Executive Chef Stefano Bacchelli and managed by Francesco Bonvini. While presenting an authentic Italian flavour, it will break through diners' imaginations of conventional Italian "bistro dishes". A professional wine list from famous Italian wineries and niche wines is also worth looking forward to.
If you're tired of visiting the exhibition, you can also come to the coffee light food hall in the dossier bookstore New WAVE by DA Vittorio Café and taste the exquisite coffee light food carefully created by world-class chefs to add energy to the artistic journey.
Next to the large staircase on the second floor of the museum is the open UCCA store.
It's also created by "Becoming Andy Warhol" exhibition designer Chen Xiaoxi, and the silver reflective material makes it look modern.
Here you can buy a bilingual catalogue of the exhibition "Becoming Andy Warhol" of the same name. It not only contains images and interpretations of the works on display, but also includes in-depth articles by the exhibition curators and Warhol biographers, providing us with another perspective.
In addition, the UCCA store will also list art derivatives officially licensed by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
After watching the exhibition, I took a can of Campbell soup home, and it was even more worth the trip.
Whether it's the finest art feast or the latest artistic lifestyle, everything has set off.
UCCA Edge has found its course and will be one of the most dynamic people in the city.
Yingkai Cultural and Creative Plaza
The word "Edge" is probably the best annotation to UCCA Edge. Like the city, UCCA Edge is pioneering, cutting-edge, inclusive, enterprising, facing and embracing all challenges.
In the blend of fashionable urban and cultural atmosphere, the art museum in this office building has integrated the texture of the magic capital, and is continuing to explore the boundaries of the development of contemporary art, promoting China's deeper participation in global dialogue.
We have reason to believe that it will also bring more surprises.
Exhibition information
"Become Andy Warhol"
-Duration-
2021.11.6 – 2022.3.6
-Location-
UCCA Edge
2nd floor, Yingkai Cultural and Creative Plaza, No. 88 North Xizang Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai
Text, Editor/Freya
Source from UCCA Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
Images from UCCA Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Yingkai Cultural and Creative Plaza, And Dossier Bookstore
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