Andrew Warhola was born in Pittsburgh in 1928. As a boy, he suffered from a neurological disorder that caused involuntary shaking and kept him confined to bed for long periods. Isolated from school friends, he found a world of color and glamour in the Hollywood magazines his mother, Julia, brought him. She also gave him drawing supplies, nurturing an early talent and a lifelong fascination with celebrity culture. When Andy was 13, his father died. The family’s savings, intended for Andy’s education, were carefully preserved. He used this money to attend the Carnegie Institute of Technology, graduating in 1949 with a degree in pictorial design.
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol, the Pittsburgh-born illustrator who made Pop Art famous with 32 Campbell's Soup cans and turned fame itself into his subject.
Chapter 1
The Boy in the Bed
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Andy Warhol paint Campbell's soup cans?
Warhol painted soup cans to elevate a mass-produced, everyday consumer good to the status of high art. By displaying 32 canvases of them in a gallery like products on a supermarket shelf, he challenged traditional ideas about what art could be and launched the Pop Art movement into the mainstream.
What was 'The Factory'?
'The Factory' was Andy Warhol's silver-foil-lined New York studio in the 1960s. It was famous for being both an art studio and a social hub. Warhol used it to mass-produce his art using the silkscreen method, treating art production like a manufacturing line.
Did Andy Warhol recover from being shot?
Andy Warhol survived the 1968 shooting by Valerie Solanas, but he suffered lifelong physical and psychological consequences. He underwent hours of surgery and had to wear a surgical corset for the rest of his life. The event made him more reclusive and marked the end of his studio's open-door policy.
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