Andy Warhol famously coined the phrase ‘everyone will be
famous for 15 minutes’; so far Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame has lasted for over 25
years.
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| © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./ARS, NY and DACS,London 2009 |
Whilst in Tokyo, Japan, last month, I visited the world
renowned Mori Art Museum to see the most comprehensive retrospective of Andy Warhol
work ever presented in Japan. Located on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Mori Tower, the museum itself offers spectacular views of Tokyo from the panoramic observation deck; that's before you even get to the exhibition space.
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| Image Credit: Mori Art Museum Tokyo |
As a versatile multi-creator whose work includes commercial design, painting, filmmaking and sculpture, Warhol became a leading artist against the backdrop of American consumerist society and mass culture, and I have always been fascinated by his thought-provoking work. The ’15 Minutes Eternal’ exhibition uncovers archives from the very start of Warhol’s artistic career through to his final years as an artist, showing an extensive retrospective of almost 700 pieces from every major series Warhol has ever done. There are also a number of works, which are being shown in Japan for the very first time, bringing new discoveries for even the most dedicated Warhol fanatics!
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| © 2014 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York |
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| Image Credit: The Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London 2011 |
A brilliant selection of Warhol’s signature masterpieces are
on show; iconic pieces from his Celebrity Portrait series including Marilyn
Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, and of course that incredibly famous Campbell’s
Soup tin. Some of my favourite Warhol pieces are silkscreen portraits of
celebrities such as Mohammad Ali, Sakamoto Ryuichi and Madonna produced during
his ‘business art’ period in the 1970s and 1980s, and perhaps his lesser known
but equally inspiring work encompassing drawings for product advertisements and
illustrations in top fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.
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| Image Credit: Vogue Paris 1983 |
Other highlights of the exhibition include iconic pop art
sculptures, which shook the boundaries of art, and a dynamic multi-screen
presentation showing around 25 of Warhol’s experiential films and videos shot
throughout his career. Warhol began to collect Japanese-related items following
a visit to Japan in 1974 and visitors can also see a number of Warhol’s
personal ’Time-Capsules’; intriguing collections of personal letters, gifts,
magazines and objects that captured his eye in everyday life.
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| Image: Warhol Time Capsules |
Such is the enthusiasm for Andy Warhol in Tokyo, to
celebrate the Museums 10th anniversary, a pop-up cafe is opening
inside the museum today, with a menu inspired by Warhol’s work. Warhol- themed burger,
anyone?
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| Image Credit: Freshnessmag.com |
This is only a very small glimpse of ‘Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal’, the exhibition continues at the Mori Art Museum until
May 6th 2014 and must be seen by anyone visiting Tokyo! The 30 ft Sculpture 'Maman' by Louis Bourgeois can also be seen at the base of the Mori Tower, just outside the museum.
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| Own image |
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