Page 22 - Studio International - February 1971

5 5 Andy Warhol
Silver Marlon 1963
Polymer silkscreened on canvas, 70 x 8o in.
Coll: The Leonard M. Asher Family Collection,
Los Angeles, California
6 Andy Warhol
Liz 1963
Silkscreen on 4 canvasses, each 4o x 4o in.
Photo: Rudolph Burckhardt, New York
7 Andy Warhol
Elvis 1962
68 x 58 in.
Coll: Galerie Bischofsberger, Zurich

6
by the seventies, but were in 1963 still
underground and understood only by the
vanguard of emerging cultural consciousness.
True, new heroes have since been thrown up to
replace the old ones, and to a younger
generation Presley and Brando are accounted as
`oldies'; but they represent in retrospect almost
the only subjects of Warhol's art that were not
blatantly obvious at the time he painted them.
With Elvis Warhol predicted what would
happen to music, not only in America but
elsewhere. And with his Brando, and its
evocation of the Wild Ones, he again predicted
the widespread revulsion against the existing
order in America that produced six years later
the movie Easy Rider." Whatever its
achievement it is true, as Michael Chanin
asserts, that the measure of the failure of this
movie is the incidental revelation that the only
freedom existent in America is of the kind
money can buy.12 q

for the individual to search for his own future, significance probably meant little other than 1 No gallery records exist on this particular exhibition,
but the following works are mentioned in various
not passively, but aggressively, with being 'hip'. But to a younger generation the new reviews of the exhibition: modular and single
commitment and passion. But if Warhol Rock dances gave a genuine expression of almost Campbell's soup cans, Coca-Cola match covers,
approaches his men differently from the tribal identification, the rhythm of the music Martinson's coffee, several portraits including Troy
women, the choice is forced upon him, for the and dance becoming an intensely shared Donahue and Marilyn Monroe as well as Presley, and
at least one of the newspaper images (129 Die).
authenticity men aspire to, and sometimes experience. 2 The Liz paintings were exhibited in the back
fulfill, is of a quality most women in American Since 1962, and the first appearance of Elvis, gallery of the Ferns, concurrent with the Elvis
society are not often given the opportunity to the face of America changed. The era of 'cool', exhibition (see installation photograph).
'Another image not belonging to this group but
realize for themselves. with which Warhol is so closely identified in life originating from the same set of screens exists.
Warhol painted the Elvis series at a moment style, is over. A new generation of young Titled Elvis I and II and dated 1964 ( ?), it is in the
collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Consisting
when Rock and Roll had almost lost its minority Americans has sprung into being whose of two panels butting one against the other, but with a
character and had gained wide popularity principle tool is a direct and active confrontation small space in between, the painting can be easily
primarily through a series of revolutionary of social injustice. recognized since two, non-overlapping and
dancing styles, of which the most notable When Warhol selected Presley and Brando symmetrically positioned figures of Presley are
screened on each canvas, one of which is black on
(though somewhat contrived) early form was to focus upon, and in 1963 made the Elvis and silver, and the other multi-coloured. A number of
the 'Twist'. Rock dance styles received Marlon paintings, he acted as a prophet of the photographs exist of this painting showing the silver
enthusiastic acceptance, even among the so- future : he predicted the feelings that were to panel positioned on the left. However, the back of the
painting is marked to indicate that it should be in the
called cultural elite, to whom the sociological become widespread among younger Americans reverse order.