The Wits Art Museum’s (Wam) Andy Warhol exhibition comprises over 80 of the artist’s major screen prints, and they’re excited to bring the work to local soil.
While Wam’s collections and mission revolve primarily around African art, the museum embraced this exhibition due to the unprecedented opportunity to provide access to the work of one of 20th Century western art’s most important, groundbreaking and anti-establishment artists.
Warhol: Unscreened is made up of artworks from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Collection and the bank is bringing them to Wam at no cost to the museum as part of its Art in Our Communities programme.
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The firm is also supporting an extensive education programme that includes bus sponsorship for under-resourced schools; a publication for schoolchildren and support of the museum’s Teen_Connect workshops for neighbourhood teenagers.
Warhol collapsed the boundaries between high art and popular culture, and art and business, laying the groundwork for subsequent generations of artists. He was also one of the first to bring silkscreen printing, traditionally used in advertising, into the domain of fine art, making it considerably more accessible.
When the artist presented such disparate subjects as soup cans, 20th century icons such as Muhammed Ali and Marilyn Monroe, and endangered animal species in a similarly simplified, flattened, colour-drenched and close-up view, he seemed to be conferring equal status on them all.
Richard Gush, country executive for Merrill Lynch South Africa said, “We recognise the important contribution that organisations like Wam make to society; both in terms of the stimulus they offer the local economy and the cultural enrichment they provide.
“Here in South Africa, with its rich cultural mix and unique heritage, art exhibitions like this can help individuals to connect across different cultures, to educate and enrich societies, and to help the economy develop. We are therefore delighted to collaborate with Wam to provide access to Warhol’s iconic masterpieces from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Collection.”
The exhibition will be accompanied by an exciting public education programme that includes events on First Thursdays, Talkabouts for adults, and families, and art-making opportunities.
A generous grant has also been made available by Business Arts South Africa (Basa), which supports and encourages mutually-beneficial partnerships between business and the arts.
Don’t miss this exhibition opening on 27 July.
Details: Wits Art Museum 011 717 1365.
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