The American artist, considered the father of Pop Art, has left an indelible mark on the history of contemporary art, above all for his ability to transform well-known faces into cultural icons, making repetition and reproduction the fulcrum of his poetics. The exhibition “Andy Warhol. Triple Elvis”, thanks to the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection, wants to draw attention to lesser-known aspects of Warhol’s work, starting from his intense bond with the city of Naples.
The connection with Naples
Among the works on display, two canvases from the Vesuvius series stand out, created in homage to the Neapolitan volcano, symbol of an overwhelming and unpredictable force, which Warhol reinterpreted with his iconic technique. These works reflect the artist’s bond with the city of Naples, born thanks to the collaboration with the gallerist Lucio Amelio: Amelio himself was the promoter of some of Warhol’s most important exhibitions in Italy and commissioned him “Fate Presto”, a work created a few days after the 1980 earthquake.
The electricity of politics
One of the beating hearts of the exhibition is represented by the “Electric Chairs” series, composed of ten silk-screen prints that transform the electric chair into a political symbol and at the same time into a reflection on the nature of violence and justice. Warhol, inspired by Francis Bacon, uses the image of the electric chair as a vehicle to dissect the mechanisms of power, making a macabre object a metaphor for the anxieties of the time.
In contrast, the 1972 series on Mao Tse-Tung, created following Nixon’s trip to China, shows how Warhol knew how to play with politics and propaganda: the communist dictator becomes a pop star on a par with Hollywood icons, deprived of its authority and transformed into a product of Western consumerism.
Hollywood stars and repetition
The theme of celebrity is central to the exhibition and reaches its peak with “Triple Elvis” from 1963, a work that marks Warhol’s experimentation with the concept of repetition. The artist triples the image of Elvis Presley, symbol of America and mass culture, and transforms it into an abstract and immortal figure. The comparison with the series of serigraphs dedicated to Marilyn Monroe from 1967 reaffirms the power of Warhol’s art in consecrating stars in the firmament of eternity, canceling every trace of individuality.
A fleeting portrait
The exhibition ends with a small but significant photographic portrait of the artist, created by Duane Michals. In three shots, Warhol appears and disappears, as if to suggest the concept of presence and absence, playing once again with his public image, which remains an enigma even for his admirers.
Useful information
The exhibition “Andy Warhol. Triple Elvis” will take place from 25 September 2024 to 16 February 2025 at the Gallerie d’Italia in Naplesin Via Toledo 177.
As for the ticketsthese will cost €7 for the whole and of €4 for the reduced. Entry will be free for affiliates, schools, under 18s and Intesa Sanpaolo Group customers.
Here for more information.
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