Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest art museum in the United States dedicated to a single artist. The prolific and commercially successful Warhol was born and raised in Pittsburgh, the child of Slovakian immigrants. Warhol took up art at a very early age, showing an aptitude for both art and photography. Warhol eventually left Pittsburgh for New York City, where he became one of the most prolific artists and pop culture icons of the 20th century.
The museum does a great job of highlighting all of Warhol’s career, starting on the 7th floor with his childhood and each descending floor advancing in his career. This museum does a great job of capturing the essence of Warhol’s work throughout his career.
We ended up spending a couple of hours in the museum, but for a major art enthusiast, you could easily spend the entire day. There is a café on the ground floor that offers reasonably priced ethnic cuisine, cooked off-site and available for reheating after purchase.
All three of the boys enjoyed the museum. Wyatt is not someone who usually buys souvenirs, but he ended up with a Campbell’s Soup mug. Henry and Simon’s favorite exhibit was the interactive Silver Clouds. I retook Henry when we got to the end of the museum, and I know that Warhol would get a kick out of children enjoying his art.
Andy Warhol was gay, but the museum does not shy away from explaining and celebrating his lifelong commitment as a Christian. Warhol grew up in the Byzantine Catholic Church, prayed daily, attended Mass frequently, and often incorporated religious symbolism into his art. Christians who are quick to judge someone because of their sexuality would benefit from reading John 8: 1-11, as they should be careful about casting stones of judgment. Warhol’s collaborative effort with Jean-Michel Basquiat, titled “Ten Punching Bags” from 1985, hints at the judgment that is too often passed on other people.
One of Andy Warhol’s lasting legacies is the idea that “everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” Retyping that quote on a blog is rich, as my interpretation was that Warhol envisioned each of us having our own opportunities to curate and share our message, which I find myself doing with this very post. Writing, along with a bit of photography, has allowed me to curate my own message. It was great to have the chance to introduce my children to Andy Warhol, a prolific artist who was unapologetic about being his genuine self.
