Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the border closures, the "Andy Warhol: Pop Art" exhibition finally found its way to Bangkok after its schedule was postponed from May to this month.
Set against the vibrant walls, the iconic portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Mao Zedong are now on display at the RCB Galleria until Nov 24 to celebrate the creativity of the King of Pop Art and promote American pop culture among Thais.
"This project has been imagined with hops and faith. River City Bangkok is a centre for lifelong learning, where people can explore art and culture in all of its forms, ranging from ancient objects, contemporary art, photography and music to literature and films," said Linda Cheng, managing director of River City Bangkok.
"Art enriches our mind and nourishes our soul, making us feel happy and fulfilled. When Andy Warhol said 'pop art is for everyone', I believe he was keen for art to be accessible, not elitist. We have brought this exhibition of original works to Thailand because we wish everyone, especially the young generation who may not have the opportunity to see them overseas, be inspired by the genius of Andy Warhol."
After two years of planning, this anticipated exhibition is showcasing all 128 original artworks and memorabilia from the private collection of Gianfranco Rosini, who opened his own art gallery and started collecting Warhol's work at the age of 13. He comes from an art dealer family and began his business first by dealing in toys, comics and graphic works when he was 12.
"In the exhibition, visitors can explore the most intimate and spiritual part of Andy Warhol. It contains an interesting story in terms of teaching, making it suitable for both primary and superior art students as well as the child or those not normally interested in art," Rosini said.
"The highlights are the best known icons of Andy Warhol such as the disc covers, the interviews, the invitation cards and the series of objects dedicated to Campbell's Soup. Also on view are unpublished images and the Two Dollars series signed by Andy Warhol in 1976 to mark the centenary of independence."
Spread over 900m² on the 2nd floor of River City Bangkok, the exhibition presents four categories of works that illustrate Warhol's journey from the son of a miner and construction worker, who migrated from Slovakia to the US, to becoming the leading figure of 1960s pop culture, a film director and producer.
"I love Bangkok very much. I had my first long-term trip as an adult to Thailand when I was 19. I fell in love with nature, culture and, of course, with the incredible welcome of the Thai people so much so that I went back another 12 times. I therefore wanted to present the works that are most representative of conceptual and aesthetic creativity," Rosini recounted.
"In my opinion, they can be appreciated by all age groups and by most aesthetic tastes who love the fusion between East and West, and between formal tradition and modernity of the means of representation of art."
Behind a glistening curtain of silver threads, many huge boards and descriptions in the first zone take visitors back in time when Warhol moved to New York and started working as an advertising designer in the fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar between 1949 and 1952.
Five years later, his talent shone bright when he was awarded the "Art Directors' Club Medal" for his work in commercial design. In 1960, he created the initial two designs for the iconic Coca-Cola bottle.
Between 1962 and 1964, Warhol set up his own studio called the Factory and produced more than 2,000 oil paintings and silk-screen prints inspired by items like a Campbell's soup can, a US dollar and Hollywood superstars. Here, he also produced over 75 films such as Sleep and Empire.
The second zone continues the journey with a series of Warhol's self-portraits, between 1978 and 1985. On view, visitors will see Warhol and surrealist Salvador Dali hanging out together in 1978 and Warhol carrying a reproduction of the first page of the newspaper IL Mattino with a headline "Fate Presto" (Hurry Up) in the aftermath of the earthquake of Nov 23, 1980.
Self-portraits have been a controversial process of projecting identity for artists. Warhol began to standardise his face in the form of souvenirs by rendering it on replicable labels to reflect simplicity and impersonality.
"In my opinion, Andy Warhol was hiding a real Zen master behind a superficial mask of an enlightened consumerist. He was convinced that he was a channel of creativity, so he had no need to pretend in controlling that flow. At the same time, he allowed others to participate in this creativity by making the creations so simple that anyone could have repeated the work of art," Rosini said.
The third zone is reserved for a wide collection of celebrity portraits, created between 1967 and 1986. Using silk-screen printing techniques and a bold colour contrast to create visual movement, his work presents the artificial aspects of public identity and the notion that everyone has the potential of becoming a superstar.
Like a wall of frame, Marilyn Monroe shares space with other icons such as Chinese leader Mao Zedong, boxer Muhammad Ali, American artist Man Ray, US singer Liza Minnelli, American gangster John Gotti and Italian vocalist Loredana Berti.
Keep strolling inside, the fourth zone boasts magazine and album covers. In 1969, Warhol launched Interview magazine, which was dubbed "the pop crystal ball" in reflecting a historical period of Manhattan.
Running until his death in 1987, the magazine featured interviews with celebrities, candid conversations that are a common practice today. Visitors can check out the covers of Interview magazine that featured acclaimed graffiti artist Jean-Michael Basquiat, Madonna, Paloma Picasso, Tom Cruise, Mick Jagger, Robin Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere.
Meanwhile, Warhol also expanded his reach into the music industry by designing 60 covers for many famous bands and artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground and Nico, Debbie Harry, Paul Anka, John Cale, Walter Steding, Billy Squier and Rats & Star.
The last corner has a showcase of unique silk-screen prints and other memorabilia, including his Flowers series, Lincoln Center Ticket in a tribute to the 1967 New York Film Festival, Brillo Box (1964), Cow Wallpaper (1971) and Ladies And Gentlemen (1975).
The collection of Campbell's Soup Shoes (1964), Soup Can On Shopping Bag (1966) and Soup Box (1967) are highlighted, along with Gold Book and Wild Raspberries, the book of dishes and recipes produced by Warhol in 1959.
"This exposition describes well how Andy Warhol succeeded: starting from illustrating art books to making objects of art and passing through all the mechanical techniques known at the time to make this particular kind of techniques, a new way of painting," Rosini said.
"Warhol managed to go from recording his life on tape to becoming one of the most avant-garde directors and filmmakers of his time. All this and much more is told with images in the exhibition… that I strongly recommend everyone to come and look," Rosini added.
"Andy Warhol: Pop Art" is at RCB Galleria on the 2nd floor of River City Bangkok until Nov 24, from 11am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 8pm on weekends. Tickets are 300 baht for students and seniors, 400 baht for adults, and are available online at ticketmelon.com.
