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A is for Archive: Warhol’s World from A to Z
Delve into Warhol’s cherished personal collections, published together here for the first time, and discover how truly unique he was
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) remains an icon of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Pop Art movement. He also was an obsessive collector of things large and small, ordinary and quirky. Since 1994, The Andy Warhol Museum has studied and safeguarded the artist’s archive encompassing hundreds of thousands of these objects, at turns strange, amusing, and poignant. From this array, many of these items have been researched and described in this book for the first time. For the myriad fans of Warhol and his quixotic world, as well as those who never understood the artist before, this volume is essential and unforgettable.
Written by Matt Wrbican, the foremost authority on Warhol’s personal collection, A is for Archive features curated selections from this collection, shedding light on the artist’s work and motivations, as well as on his personality and private life. The volume is organized alphabetically, honoring Warhol’s own use of a whimsical alphabetical structure: “A is for Autograph” (a selection of signed objects, many of which influenced his most popular works), “F is for Fashion” (featuring his collections of cowboy boots, neckties, and jackets), “S is for Stamp” (works of art by Warhol and others relating to stamps and mailed items), and “Z is for Zombie” (a grouping of photographs and ephemera of Warhol in various disguises: drag, robot, zombie, clown). The book also features an insightful essay by renowned art critic and Warhol biographer Blake Gopnik.
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) remains an icon of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Pop Art movement. He also was an obsessive collector of things large and small, ordinary and quirky. Since 1994, The Andy Warhol Museum has studied and safeguarded the artist’s archive encompassing hundreds of thousands of these objects, at turns strange, amusing, and poignant. From this array, many of these items have been researched and described in this book for the first time. For the myriad fans of Warhol and his quixotic world, as well as those who never understood the artist before, this volume is essential and unforgettable.
Written by Matt Wrbican, the foremost authority on Warhol’s personal collection, A is for Archive features curated selections from this collection, shedding light on the artist’s work and motivations, as well as on his personality and private life. The volume is organized alphabetically, honoring Warhol’s own use of a whimsical alphabetical structure: “A is for Autograph” (a selection of signed objects, many of which influenced his most popular works), “F is for Fashion” (featuring his collections of cowboy boots, neckties, and jackets), “S is for Stamp” (works of art by Warhol and others relating to stamps and mailed items), and “Z is for Zombie” (a grouping of photographs and ephemera of Warhol in various disguises: drag, robot, zombie, clown). The book also features an insightful essay by renowned art critic and Warhol biographer Blake Gopnik.
- GenresArt
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 11, 2019
I am certainly not the biggest fan of Andy, but I really did enjoy this book. It would make a nice gift for someone or as a coffee table book.
September 26, 2019
A is for Archive: Warhol's World from A to Z from Matt Wrbican is a book that should satisfy a lot of readers across several areas of interest. It is both an amazingly wonderful book to look at as well as a very interesting read.
First, I am not a big Warhol fan. I appreciate much of what he did or tried to do but also simply didn't get some of it. So I am neither a fan nor someone who dislikes him and his work. When reviewing a book about a figure, especially one as controversial as Warhol, I find it best to state where I am on the spectrum of fan/antifandom.
For Warhol fans, and even for in-betweens like myself, this book offers a different kind of insight into both the person and his work. I probably gained a better appreciation, and definitely a better understanding, of what he was doing and why. True fans will likely also gain a deeper sense of connection as well.
The format of the book, a type of A to Z form but every bit as quirky as Warhol himself, actually works very well. In addition to making his very loose archival system manifest, it shows just how, within any individual's mind, everything is connected. Just not always in a way anyone else will readily understand.
While this is about Warhol, it is also about the world in which he lived. Both the immediate world that he created around himself and the world in its entirety. To see and read about the connections between objects in the collection, people in Warhol's life, and events in the world is to begin to understand how we and all that we generate has meaning. Big meaning? Not always, at least not to other people, but meaning nonetheless.
In addition to Warhol fans and students of art and art history I think the casual reader will find a lot to enjoy here. Looking at objects both common and unusual and reading about how they came into Warhol's orbit is fascinating and does not depend on one's opinion of the man himself. I found myself thinking about times in my life and the mementos from those times that I never considered mementos and thus never saved. I'm glad I didn't save to the extent Warhol did but I do wish I had given more "things" the value they deserved.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
First, I am not a big Warhol fan. I appreciate much of what he did or tried to do but also simply didn't get some of it. So I am neither a fan nor someone who dislikes him and his work. When reviewing a book about a figure, especially one as controversial as Warhol, I find it best to state where I am on the spectrum of fan/antifandom.
For Warhol fans, and even for in-betweens like myself, this book offers a different kind of insight into both the person and his work. I probably gained a better appreciation, and definitely a better understanding, of what he was doing and why. True fans will likely also gain a deeper sense of connection as well.
The format of the book, a type of A to Z form but every bit as quirky as Warhol himself, actually works very well. In addition to making his very loose archival system manifest, it shows just how, within any individual's mind, everything is connected. Just not always in a way anyone else will readily understand.
While this is about Warhol, it is also about the world in which he lived. Both the immediate world that he created around himself and the world in its entirety. To see and read about the connections between objects in the collection, people in Warhol's life, and events in the world is to begin to understand how we and all that we generate has meaning. Big meaning? Not always, at least not to other people, but meaning nonetheless.
In addition to Warhol fans and students of art and art history I think the casual reader will find a lot to enjoy here. Looking at objects both common and unusual and reading about how they came into Warhol's orbit is fascinating and does not depend on one's opinion of the man himself. I found myself thinking about times in my life and the mementos from those times that I never considered mementos and thus never saved. I'm glad I didn't save to the extent Warhol did but I do wish I had given more "things" the value they deserved.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 15, 2019
Sometimes things (or in this case people) appear and reappear in my life. I went to an Andy Warhol art show at the National Gallery, he popped up in Brene Brown's book about shame and then again in Olivia Lang's book about loneliness, so when this book appeared on NetGalley, it was an opportunity to learn more about this interesting, enigmatic artist.
I received this book as a e-ARC and read it on my tablet. In that format it was lovely - as a hard back it would be quite spectacular, a perfect coffee table book.
The book takes the form of essays, largely from previous shows, and is accompanies by many relevant illustrations and photos. It is in alphabetical order, and it doesn't matter what order the essays are read in. Not all the topics were interesting to me - but it's not compulsory to read each essay.
This book is delightful for anyone who has an interest in Andy Warhol.
Thanks to NetGalley and Yale University Press for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a e-ARC and read it on my tablet. In that format it was lovely - as a hard back it would be quite spectacular, a perfect coffee table book.
The book takes the form of essays, largely from previous shows, and is accompanies by many relevant illustrations and photos. It is in alphabetical order, and it doesn't matter what order the essays are read in. Not all the topics were interesting to me - but it's not compulsory to read each essay.
This book is delightful for anyone who has an interest in Andy Warhol.
Thanks to NetGalley and Yale University Press for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2019
This book will be fascinating to Warhol fans, no doubt about that. I think his more casual fans (like myself) will enjoy it a lot too. Readers interested in pop art, pop culture, and art history, or just people who like peeking into famous people's lives will also be intrigued. Apparently, Andy was a hoarder, and saved everything, packing things away in hundreds of time capsules, which this book allows us to riffle through. It's easy to get sucked in, I can see this being a perfect book to while away the hours with!
#AisForArchive #NetGalley
#AisForArchive #NetGalley
July 3, 2019
***Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
A fascinating look into one of the oddest artists of our time. Andy Warhol was a hoarder. He collected and found interest in the obscure. I think this made him view objects differently. This book merely highlights a few of his interests and gives us a peek into his peculiar world.
A fascinating look into one of the oddest artists of our time. Andy Warhol was a hoarder. He collected and found interest in the obscure. I think this made him view objects differently. This book merely highlights a few of his interests and gives us a peek into his peculiar world.
August 1, 2019
I think my issues with this are personal taste. For a Warhol fan, this in depth look at the collections would probably be really interesting. For me, it was sort of pointless. So the star I am taking away is just personal opinion. The other four remain because the layout is great and, like previously stated, for a fan this would be incredibly interesting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews