The Pope of Pop

Before instagram there was Andy. The pope of Pop had predicted the instant rise and fall of overnight social media sensations way before technology could catch on, with his prophetic “15-minute fame” quote. At the antipode of the selfie come the master’s Polaroid Pictures, now more relevant than ever. Bastian Gallery in London is dedicating its space to his genius with Andy Warhol Polaroid Pictures, the inaugural exhibition running from 2 February until 13 April 2019. In it, a series of over 60 fascinating portrait and self-portrait Polaroid photographs by Andy Warhol – some of which are exhibited for the first time – depict artists, actors, politicians and friends of his eccentric Factory entourage, photographos that were initially preparatory works for Warhol’s iconic silkscreen portraits. The exhibition offers an intimate portrayal of New York in the 1970s and 80s during the establishment of a new visual culture that lead to today’s online visual diaries.

Interestingly enough, with this series the exhibition positions Warhol as both subject and spectator, highlighting the artist’s prolific capacity as a chronicler of his time: Self-Portrait (1979), measuring 81.3 x 55.9 cm, is one of the few large-scale Polaroid portraits produced by Warhol. In it, the artist’s face, grimacing and strained, looms closely into the camera lens, producing a highly personal yet seemingly estranged encounter with the viewer. He is looking at you, he can see your voyeurism. Hia images all share a lack of pathos or individuation, underlining the artist’s notion of an era where “everybody looks alike and acts alike, and we’re getting more and more that way”. At the same time, the photographs portray the beginnings of an era and society defined by image and illusion.

Andy Warhol Polaroid Pictures at BASTIAN, London, 2 February – 13 April 2019, galeriebastian.com