More Than 15 Minutes: Warhol Exhibit Opens
WDCB’s Gary Zidek visits the new Andy Warhol exhibit that just opened at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art.
LISTEN
Over 35 years after his death, Andy Warhol’s legacy is as relevant as ever. His works are among the most recognizable pieces of art in the world and his thoughts on celebrity seem especially prescient. Yet, Warhol’s talent and depth of thought are sometimes overshadowed by his carefully crafted public persona. A new exhibit at College of DuPage’s Cleve Carney Museum of Art is aiming to offer a more comprehensive look at the artist who once said "In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes."
The Warhol exhibit is another big feather in the Cleve Carney Museum of Art’s cap. Two years ago, the Glen Ellyn-based museum presented a Frida Kahlo exhibition. McAninch Arts Center director Diana Martinez has led both projects. She says the origins of the Warhol exhibit go back to a relationship with Bank of America that started while working on the Kahlo project. The company has its own collection of works and loans them out to institutions for exhibit. Plus, the College of DuPage has its own collection of Warhol photos and prints. Presenting a Warhol exhibit seemed like a natural fit for the west suburban art museum.
“I think he’s a much more complex figure than I or a lot of people initially (thought). Because of the way he intentionally crafted his own persona to not give away too much, because he wanted everyone to see what they wanted. Now, posthumously, people are able to look at different aspects of his life that maybe weren’t as accessible before, and I actually think it adds more relatability to him as an artist.” - Cleve Carney Museum of Art curator Justin Witte talking about how his perceptions of Warhol have evolved over time.
Cleve Carney Museum of Art curator Justin Witte
When visitors enter the McAninch Arts Center there will be a number of things to see. They can head right toward the Cleve Carney Museum of Art gallery space to check out the original Warhol works or they can make their way through a biographical exhibit that traces the major moments of Warhol’s life and career. Visitors will also be able to engage with a number of other offerings, including a Studio 54 installation, an outdoor pavilion area that’s been transformed into Central Park and there’s a Warhol-themed Kids area.
The Studio 54 space inside the McAninch Arts Center
The Cleve Carney Museum of Art’s Warhol Exhibit will be on display through September 10. You can find more info at WARHOL2023.org
Part of the historical exhibit on Warhol.
