I visited the California Museum of Photography in Riverside California this weekend to see two of its current exhibitions. On the main floor is a general overview on the state of Fine Art photography and on the lower level is an Andy Warhol photography exhibit.
The Warhol exhibit was a selection of Polaroids that had been taken for paid commissions. These Polaroids were the basis for some of his screen art that was so popular in the 1960-1980 period. This work has been popular and has been quite influential in the art world since he produced this work at his New York studio. It has been copied by numerous artists since.
The aspect of his work that I hadn’t read much about was his commissioned work. An info card said that he charged $40,000 for a screened portrait. He would take piles of photos and then select the image to be worked on later after the client left. He averaged from 50-100 of this projects a year. Not bad work if you can get it.
Warhol used a SX-70 and Bigshot Polaroid camera’s. I enjoyed one of the quotes by Warhol printed above the images.
All photography is Pop, and all photographers are crazy.... they feel guilty since they don’t have to do very much - just push a button. Andy Warhol
Upstairs at the museum they have a collection of old cameras and vintage prints. Here is the Leica I that is in the collection.
These are the current exhibits.
Andy Warhol
An Instant Sketch
California Museum of Photography
December 8, 2018 - May 26, 2019
In the Sunshine of Neglect
Defining Photographs And Radical Experiments in Inland Southern California, 1950 To The Present
California Museum of Photography
January 19 - April 28, 2019