Andy Warhol

 

"I would rather watch somebody buy their underwear than read a book they wrote."

Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola, Jr. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 1928. Art inspired him from an early age, and he began his career as a commercial illustrator.

By the 1950s, he began receiving recognition for his unique style, and he ultimately opened his own studio, The Factory, in New York City.  It would soon become a gathering place for everyone from Hollywood elite to New York's homeless people.

In the 1960s, Warhol branched out into music, serving as manager and producer of The Velvet Underground, an experimental rock band.  He also founded Interview magazine, which is still in publication today. 

In early 1987, Warhol underwent gall bladder surgery at New York Hospital. His recovery was sufficient enough that he was discharged and sent home, where after a few days, he developed a sudden post-operative irregular heartbeat.  He died in his sleep on February 22nd.  He was 58 years old.

Warhol's brothers brought him home to Pittsburgh, where he was laid to rest at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery.  Visitors are encouraged to write Andy a note.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• For more than twenty years, Warhol dictated his daily diaries to author Pat Hackett, who released an edited compilation of these writings in 2014.  You can pick up a copy of The Andy Warhol Diaries from Amazon.
  
  
• In June 1968, radical feminist writer Valerie Solanas attempted to assassinate Warhol at his studio.  Although he survived the shooting, he'd suffer health repercussions the rest of his life, which ultimately contributed to his untimely passing.  Solanas was later diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and sentenced to a whopping three years in prison.
  
  
• Warhol's family believed his death was preventable and they subsequently sued the hospital for inadequate care.  The case was quickly settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.  Thirty years after his passing, a new investigation confirmed the family's suspicions, citing his family history, his previous injuries and his medical condition prior to surgery as being factors that should have delayed the operation.
  
  
• Today, Pittsburgh is home to The Andy Warhol Museum.  Check it out!
  
  
• Warhol was no stranger to Hollywood, appearing both in front of and behind the camera.  This blogger fondly remembers Warhol's 1985 Love Boat episode.
  
  
• In 2002, Warhol was featured on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.  Ironically, he did not design it himself.
  
  
  
  
• Warhol is often credited with coining the term "15 minutes of fame."