This module will look at Andy Warhol, one of the most influential artists of the latter half of the twentieth century – both artist and work are instantly recognizable to many people who have never stepped into a gallery. This course will seek to unsettle the fixed idea of Warhol’s life and work and find new inroads into the work itself and the critical literature that surrounds it. We will examine works from throughout the artist’s career including early illustrative pieces, his famous silkscreens, the rarely seen films, his magazine Interview, his autobiographical books and his work as a producer of The Velvet Underground. We will look at the effect of adopting mass production methods to the making of art, and the interplay with popular culture. We will examine a number of themes within the work such as violence, celebrity, mourning and consumerism.
This work will necessitate reading literature from fields outside of traditional art history including film studies, critical theory, cultural studies, and queer theory. Warhol’s work will be seen in the context of that of his contemporaries– particular attention will be paid to Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Le Monte Young, John Cage, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring amongst others. We will also examine the artist’s influence on a number of contemporary artists including Elizabeth Peyton, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons and Wang Guangyi. Seminars will vary from presentations, discussion of texts and screenings and exhibition visits.
By the end of the module, students should:
The following novels will also be useful to your understanding of the course material:
If you can see these films please do:
Module Code HOA00014H