Essay about Andy Warhol: Influence on the Twentieth Century Pop Art Movement

Words: 1076
Pages: 5

As a profound influence on the twentieth century pop art movement, Andy Warhol ascended to become a cornerstone in the modern art world. After taking cues from society in the mid-twentieth century, as well as conversing with Muriel Latow, Warhol did what many artists strived to do but failed. Andy also extracted many of his ideas from other artists and built on them. He put a culture on canvas and revolutionized pop art for a life time. The nineteen sixties, seventies, and eighties were periods of self righteousness and discovery. With many new styles and beliefs arising during those eras, Warhol’s imagination would begin to produce ideas that were unheard of but revolutionary at the same time. American values were altered and so
There was a period in Warhol’s life when he was unable to produce ideas. The competition between fellow artists amplified and Warhol was in jeopardy of never fully launching his pop art career. Warhol knew that he had to create something radical enough to place him on top. While talking to a gallery owner, Muriel Latow, he was introduced to the basis of a majority of his artwork, money and soup. Andy had paid Latow for an idea that would make him famous in the future. Muriel stated, “The thing that means more to you and that you like more than anything else in the world is money. You should paint pictures of money” (Shanes 17). Also while talking, she told Warhol he should paint, “something you see every day and something that everybody would recognize. Something like a can of Campbell's Soup” (Comenas). A Campbell soup can was something that everyone could acknowledge, and relate to. It was something that people saw and used in everyday life. Warhol immediately realized that this could be the basis of a new series. The following day Warhol bought many Campbell Soup cans and began to stamp, print, draw, and paint. The series of Reversals and Retrospective, featuring the Campbell Soup cans as well as money signs, was his most popular exhibition to date. The adoption of Muriel’s ideas for a mere fifty dollars soon became an investment of a lifetime for Warhol. Andy Warhol was very fascinated with the