Andy Warhol— From A to B and Back Again

Few American artists are as omnipresent or instantly recognizable as Andy Warhol, and he has always been one of my favorites. Through a carefully cultivated persona and a willingness to experiment with non-traditional techniques, Warhol understood the growing power of images in contemporary life earlier than almost anyone. In many ways, the father of modern art and advertising. What I love most is how unapologetically himself he always was.

I caught his retrospective at the Whitney recently, the first organized by a U.S. institution since 1989. Built on new research and scholarship that has emerged since his death in 1987, the exhibition set out to reintroduce Warhol for the 21st century, and in many ways it succeeded.

My honest take: the work itself was extraordinary. An extensive range spanning early pieces, the iconic works we all know, notebook drawings, videos, and works that never saw the light of day. Nineteen sections across two floors covering every important phase of his life. But the exhibition structure felt like it could have pushed further. Warhol demands a certain level of audacity from anyone presenting his work, and some of that felt missing. When you do a retrospective on Warhol, you have to up the ante.

Scroll down for five lesser known facts about one of the most fascinating humans to ever do it.

5 lesser-known facts about Warhol

1. He was almost murdered by radical feminist Valerie Solanas. She shot Warhol in the torso after he rejected a script she had written. Warhol had several surgeries and needed to wear a surgical corset for the rest of his life.

2. He was a devout Byzantine Catholic. Warhol volunteered at homeless shelters and attended Mass religiously. He was gay, but claimed to be a virgin up to his death at age 58.

3. Warhol had a Permanent Smell Collection. He wished to document and trigger memories by using scents as time capsules. He changed his perfume every three months. During Warhol’s burial, a friend tossed a bottle of Estée Lauder Beautiful into his grave.

4. Andy Warhol’s actual name was Andy Warhola.

5. Andy Warhol sure hated one thing and that was eating leftovers. He had a strong dislike for leftovers and avoided eating them.