It's the first image visitors see in the new Andy Warhol exhibition, opening Saturday at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. The first line of text, a Warholian quote printed in pink, sums up his ambition:"The idea is not to live forever; it is to create something that will."
"Andy Warhol did a lot of avant-garde work, a lot of work that pushed the edges of what was known or expected," Witte said."He also was always aware of what the public would be interested in, what the audience might be interested in." There's silver wallpaper behind silver-framed Warhol hibiscus flowers, a nod to the Silver Factory, a New York studio/loft/funhouse where the artist was surrounded by assistants, socialites and kindred spirits. A beautiful ombre is the backdrop for Warhol's"Sunset" series. The museum doors open to Warhol images of Campbell's condensed soup cans .
The methods used by Warhol and the other Pop masters -- elevating mundane, everyday objects into the rarefied world of fine art -- were"completely radical" and nothing like the prevailing style of abstract expressionism. Warhol had been a commercial illustrator before his breakthrough"Soup Cans" show.
"What makes our exhibitions unique is how we engage the whole community," said Martinez, who's booked a full slate of Warhol-related programming, from concerts to iconographic mural projects."We use all our resources as an art center to create these really cool, interactive experiences."