Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol (1928-1987), born Andrew Warhola Jr., was a leading figure in the pop art movement and considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Although best known as a painter, Warhol was also a film director, producer, and commercial illustrator. His explorations of the relationship between artistic expression, advertising, and celebrity culture in the 1960s have had a profound impact on modern art. Some of his best-known works include Campbell's Soup Cans and Marilyn Diptych, both created using silkscreen printing, a technique Warhol helped to popularize. He also produced experimental films, such as Chelsea Girls, and multimedia events like the Exploding Plastic Inevitable.

Warhol's New York studio, The Factory, became a hub for artists, intellectuals, and other creative individuals, contributing to his reputation as a central figure in both the art and social scene of the time. After surviving an assassination attempt in 1968, Warhol shifted his attention towards business, establishing Interview magazine and authoring multiple books, including The Philosophy of Andy Warhol and Popism: The Warhol Sixties. Warhol died in 1987 following complications from gallbladder surgery. A museum dedicated to his life and work, The Andy Warhol Museum, was opened in his hometown of Pittsburgh in 1994.