Andy Warhol at The Tate Modern

Andy Warhol’s artwork is nothing short of iconic, and his name has become synonymous with ‘the king of pop art.’ There is a legendary quality to his continued influence in the art world and greater pop culture. It has gone on to be commemoratedby way of countless exhibitions and institutional collections as well as reinterpreted across spheres of art and design. “Warhol” is symbolic of a persona, of the famed scene of downtown New York in the 70s, and of pop art in its entirety. And while all this is true, The Tate Modern’s current exhibition simply titled, Andy Warhol, aims to get a better look the man himself.

This show is unique in that it takes a keen focus on the artist as a person and the identities that inspired work throughout his career, making him the famed man we speak of today. Curators at the Tate Modern successfully find a way to create a unique Warhol exhibition. Some of the works, in fact, are shown for the first time in 30 years, including portraits from his Ladies and Gentlemen series portraying Drag Queens of color. The curators dig into the creation of the Warhol persona and the sense of self-brand the artist solidified through the end of his career. The Tate Modern successfully offers Andy Warhol through this exhibition not only as a pop icon, but in his queerness, his relationship to death, to politics, to immigration, his connection to other people, and the sense of identity carried by a silver wig.

And as we continue staying at home, The Tate has been able to successfully bring this beautiful perspective of Warhol’s self and work as a digital experience. The virtual tour consists of a curatorial video and a room-by-room educational description of several aspects of Andy Warhol’s identity and the works they influenced. Curated by way of 12 uniquely themed galleries, the digital descriptions covering each section are highly informative. Through connecting his artwork directly to his life experience, Tate offers a more comprehensive understanding of Andy Warhol, the man and the artist.