Pocket Pistols

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Andy Warhol
Pocket Pistols
1981

About the Item

Andy Warhol began using the big-shot Polaroid camera in 1971 and continued using it religiously until his death in 1987. Despite the camera being discontinued in 1973, he continued to use it to capture the actors, artists, dancers, politicians, socialites, and Factory members of his world. Frequently, Warhol's Polaroids were used as preparatory works for his iconic silkscreen portraits or other artworks. They also revealed his immediate personal vision functioning as a chronicle of his surroundings and social life. Beginning with his "Death and Disasters" series in the early 1960s, Warhol had a long-standing, existential fascination with violence (and spectacle). He created images of electric chairs, car crashes, and even a portfolio of images exploring JFK's assassination. Not surprisingly the Flash portfolio included a screenprint of Lee Harvey Oswald's gun. In the 1980's he produced the very sinister "Knives and Guns" series. These works are some of the most ambiguous in his output. Are they a commentary on the (American) media's obsession with crime and violence? Or are they a droll or vitriolic response to an artist who was a bit out of fashion, and feeling criticized and neglected by the (art) world? There is also something undeniably phallic about some of the guns from this series. (One curator who saw this photograph began referring to it as "69ing guns"). "Pocket Pistols" stems from the "Knives and Guns" era, most likely as a reference or study. Presented with authority, the image features the profile of a Volcanic Pocket Pistol duo, a model that dates back to 1848. While Warhol was most often obsessed with the culture of his day, he was simultaneously a student and collector of the past. In 1986, for example, he released the "Cowboys and Indians" portfolio which featured historical figures from the 19th century. Regardless of how you interpret or position this work, it is an important artwork that interweaves Warhol's favorite themes and, perhaps on a subconscious level, personal anxieties. As the Warhol market continues to gallop to a stratosphere beyond, there are fewer and fewer examples of unique, original works, that are accessible in circulation. Questions about this piece? Contact us. Or visit our Toronto gallery on Thursdays or by appointment. Untitled "Pocket Pistols" USA, 1981 Unique polaroid print Embossed signature / copyright Estate of Andy Warhol stamp verso 3.5"H 4.25"W (work) 14"H 16"W (framed) Framed with museum glass. Traces of previous adhesive verso. Overall very good condition.

Creator:
Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987, American)
Creation Year:
1981
Dimensions:
Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Width: 16 in (40.64 cm)
Medium:
Polaroid
Movement & Style:
Contemporary
Period:
1980-1989
Condition:
Very good condition.
Gallery Location:
Toronto, CA
Reference Number:
Seller: 03-241stDibs: LU215214047732

Shop All Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol

The name of American artist Andy Warhol is all but synonymous with Pop art, the movement he helped shape in the 1960s. He was phenomenally prolific, and the archive of original photography, prints, drawings, paintings and other art that he left behind is beyond vast.

Andy Warhol is known for his clever appropriation of motifs and images from popular advertising and commercials, which he integrated into graphic, vibrant works that utilized mass-production technologies such as printmaking, photography and silkscreening. Later in his career, Warhol expanded his oeuvre to include other forms of media, founding Interview magazine and producing fashion shoots and films on-site at the Factory, his world-famous studio in New York.

Born and educated in in Pittsburgh, Warhol moved to New York City in 1949 and built a successful career as a commercial illustrator. Although he made whimsical drawings as a hobby during these years, his career as a fine artist began in the mid-1950s with ink-blot drawings and hand-drawn silkscreens. The 1955 lithograph You Can Lead a Shoe to Water illustrates how he incorporated in his artwork advertising styles and techniques, in this case shoe commercials.

As a child, Warhol was often sick and spent much of his time in bed, where he would make sketches and put together collections of movie-star photographs. He described this period as formative in terms of his skills and interests. Indeed, Warhol remained obsessed with celebrities throughout his career, often producing series devoted to a famous face or an object from the popular culture, such as Chairman Mao or Campbell’s tomato soup. The 1967 silkscreen Marilyn 25 embodies his love of bright color and famous subjects.

Warhol was a prominent cultural figure in New York during the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. The Factory was a gathering place for the era’s celebrities, writers, drag queens and fellow artists, and collaboration was common. To this day, Warhol remains one of the most important artists of the 20th century and continues to exert influence on contemporary creators.

Find a collection of original Andy Warhol art on 1stDibs.