‘Muhammad Ali’, 1978 and ‘Liz’, 1964. Photo: Supplied
Art aficionados in Saudi are in for a treat as an Andy Warhol exhibition makes its way to the Kingdom this winter.
Part of the Arts AlUla Festival, the exhibition titled ‘Fame: Andy Warhol in AlUla, will showcase 70 works that highlight the renowned artist’s “personal fascination with fame and celebrity” and his impact on the 1960s pop culture movement. This means portraits of stars including Muhammad Ali, Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton, and more, alongside Warhol’s famed “screen tests” of 60s counter-culture icons. Also on show will be Silver Clouds(1966), which consists of a room full of floating metallic balloons, will also be on show.
‘Dolly Parton’, 1985. Photo: Supplied
“In homage to a heritage built by diverse cultural perspectives, Arts AlUla will present Fame: Andy Warhol in AlUla as part of a long-term vision of spectacular and multicultural arts initiatives,” says Nora Aldabal, executive director of arts and creative industries for Arts AlUla. The exhibition will also include wallpaper designed by the artist, his ground-breaking work, ‘Silver Clouds’ (1966), as well as rarely-seen archival photographs, including Hollywood publicity photos and Polaroid portraits made in his studio and later used as source material for his paintings and prints.
Organized by the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and curated by Patrick Moore, that institution’s director, the exhibition will take place from February 17 to May 16, 2023 at Maraya, the mirrored art venue. “Fame is intended to be an introduction to the aspect of Warhol that I believe is most fascinating to many young people, including Saudi youth, as Andy Warhol’s journey, which started as a child staring at the movie screen and collecting publicity stills, is becoming more common through the rise of social media,” stated Moore. “Fame is an opportunity to further extend Warhol’s legacy by reaching new audiences.”
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