When you picture the person who changed the course of art, a man inspired by a brand of soup he had for lunch isn’t what comes to mind. But be it his odd inspirations, his wispy hair, dapper jackets, or his signature sunglasses, Andy Warhol’s persona was as eccentric – and iconic – as his creations. While his public persona could make for a fantastic case study in marketing art, his creations strived to find magic in the mundane.  

When a young Warhol moved to New York City, little did anyone know of the genius of ‘Drella’ – a cross between Dracula and Cinderella – as the pioneer was nicknamed by his friends. In a post-war consumer era where artists were set in the ways of Abstract Expressionism, Warhol dared to see things through a different lens. As he took to redefining the artistic landscape of The Big Apple, Warhol got intrigued by the Pop Art movement that was gaining momentum in the UK in the late 1950s.  

From using everyday objects like soup cans, soap pads and cola bottles as a commentary on the rising consumer culture, to his obsession with portraits (including his own) and America’s celebrity culture, Warhol’s works seemingly made the American dream the envy of the world. 

When asked why he chose to dedicate an artwork to Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962, Warhol, without batting an eyelid, said, “I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years.” One would assume that he patiently hand painted 32 near-identical variations of the American canned soup giant’s product packaging – one for each flavour – out of sheer love for the brand. But what Warhol actually wanted to do was to prove a point by creating art for the masses, as opposed to a chosen few – taking a page out of the consumer culture in America at the time. 

As part of the next step in his career, Warhol understood and applied the learnings of creating 32 canvases by hand for Campbell’s Soup Cans to his creations going forward and switched to his most signature style of photographic silkscreen painting, starting 1962. “The reason I’m painting this way is that I want to be a machine,” said Warhol when asked about this stark transition. Despite it being a printing technique for commercial use, Warhol used it to efficiently replicate images from pop culture that appealed to him. His modus operandi would comprise selecting an image and sending it to a commercial silkscreen maker, with precise instructions for the end product that he desired.  

This switch may well be the most pivotal point of his career, because despite constant and brutal criticism from the art ‘experts’ of the era, with many calling his work appropriation art that was commercial and lacked depth, Warhol had the last laugh by creating some of the most famous works of the American Pop Art movement using this technique.  

Warhol’s love for portraits was no secret either. He would often get himself clicked, using his own photos as inspiration for works like Self-Portrait [Early Summer], 1966. This may be traced back to his time as a commercial artist in advertising, where working for the likes of Tiffany & Co. and Vogue would have made him savvy about his own image. 

This also translated into his fascination with the aesthetics of America’s celebrity culture – which was also on the rise as televisions became the new centrepieces of households. Turning this fascination into his reality, Warhol created celebrity portraits of Sylvester Stallone, 1980, Aretha Franklin, 1986, Gianni Versace, 1979-80 and   1981, based on polaroids he had clicked.  

But it was Marilyn Monroe, years after her tragic demise, who led Warhol to his most powerful work, Forty-five Gold Marilyns, 1979. Made using a production still of the Hollywood megastar from the 1953 film Niagara, this series of screenprint paintings is widely regarded as one of the most powerful images of the Pop Art movement. In terms of Marilyn piquing Warhol’s curiosity, Forty-five Gold Marilyns barely scratches the surface, as the artist created multiple works using the same iconic still from Niagara, including Shot Sage Blue Marilyn which broke the record for the most expensive 20th century artwork ever sold! 

Obsessed with fame and tragedy, Warhol loved to elucidate the power of mass media through his work. As U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) assassination sent shockwaves around the world, Warhol found an unlikely muse in his wife Jackie Kennedy. Sixteen Jackies, 1964, presented a compilation of photos of JFK’s wife moments before and after her husband’s passing, where Warhol, just like he did with Marilyn, immortalised Jackie into a timeless and tragic heroine. 

Andy Warhol’s legacy and the Pop Art movement have been built upon countless captivating stories that continue to live on in people’s hearts while being the epitome of artistic brilliance. With its latest visual art exhibit ‘POP: FAME, LOVE AND POWER’, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre has recreated the magic of the Pop Art era right here in Mumbai at its Art House. Curated by London-based art advisor and curator Lawrence Van Hagen and open to all until February, the exhibit showcases over 30 works by 12 legendary pop artists including Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Keith Haring and Robert Rauschenberg for the first time in India. With exclusive celebrity portraits shot by the man himself, alongside a floor dedicated to Silver Clouds – a unique immersive installation that he created in 1966 – the exhibit pays the ultimate tribute to the Pop Art movement while offering a rare glimpse into the world of Andy Warhol.  

As an extension of the Cultural Centre’s promise of accessibility to all, entry to this exhibition is free for students of fine arts, children under the age of 7 and senior citizens. 

Tickets starting from INR 500 

Exhibition timings: 
Tuesday – Thursday, and Sunday: 11am - 8pm. Entry closes at 7.30pm.  
Friday and Saturday: 11am - 10pm. Entry closes at 9.30pm.  
You can book your tickets on nmacc.com.