Opening next week Thursday, September 12th WarholMania is an extraordinary exhibition showcasing mainly black-and-white photographs that vividly capture Andy Warhol and his world taken by two remarkable photographers, Billy Name and William John Kennedy.
63 x 48 cm © Billy Name Estate / courtesy Dagon James
WarholMania features his groundbreaking artworks, the infamous Silver Factory, and his eclectic entourage, This exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the vibrant 1960s New York Pop Art scene, reliving the electrifying atmosphere that defined Warhol’s world.
Billy Name’s photographs from 1964-1968 is considered one of the most significant visual records of any artist’s career. These images encapsulate Warhol’s most crucial period, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the daily life and creative processes at The Silver Factory. On January 28th, 1964, Warhol’s datebook noted, “New Studio 231 East 47th.” This narrow loft on the fourth floor of an industrial building in midtown Manhattan transformed into The Silver Factory— a central hub of 1960s avant-garde culture.
Warhol, impressed by Billy Name’s apartment on the Lower East Side, enlisted him to decorate the new loft. For six months in 1964, Billy lived in a tiny closet at the Factory, undertaking the legendary ‘silverizing’ project, covering every inch in silver foil or silver spray paint. Upon completion, Warhol gifted Billy a Pentax Honeywell 35mm camera, appointing him as the resident photographer and archivist. Billy’s photographs document the Factory’s daily life from 1964 onwards, including artwork creation, the filming of Screen Tests, and features like Chelsea Girls, Vinyl, and My Hustler. His images also capture Factory regulars, including Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Nico, Edie Sedgwick, and Bob Dylan.
Billy Name left the Factory in 1970, abandoning most of his possessions, including the negatives. After Warhol’s passing in 1987, the Warhol Foundation reached out to Billy, offering to return these invaluable negatives. In homage to Warhol’s techniques, Billy produced a stunning series of silkscreens from these negatives.
William John Kennedy’s ‘Lost Archive’ from 1964 presents photographs of Andy Warhol that lay forgotten in a cupboard for 50 years, nearly discarded. Shot in the early 1960s, these images emerged from the close friendship between fine art photographer William John Kennedy and Andy Warhol. This recently unveiled collection captures Warhol during the Pop Art Movement’s ascent. Kennedy’s photographs present Warhol in a candid and intimate light, providing a unique perspective on the artist’s early career.
Kennedy’s professional life has been dedicated to fine art photography, amassing an extensive body of work. His photographs are featured in over 15 museum collections worldwide, including the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. According to Patrick Moore, former Director of the Andy Warhol Museum, “The great power of Kennedy’s portraits of Warhol is to bring him alive as both an artist and a man.” This collection, shot during the formative years of the Pop Art Movement, offers a rare glimpse into the world of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists.
GELATIN SILVER PRINT 56.5 × 38.7 cm Frame included hand signed by WJK © Kiwi Arts Group
WarholMania provides a rare and intimate look at Warhol’s life and work through the eyes of close friends, lovers, and collaborators, offering an invaluable record of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
The WarholMania exhibition is a powerful flashback—a behind-the-scenes journey through the rediscovered archives of two extraordinary American photographers, both close friends of Warhol, William John Kennedy and Billy Name, seen together for the first time. Their invaluable and historic photographs, once lost and forgotten for years, provided a unique opportunity for me, as curator and, in this case, almost an archivist, to reconstruct and retell the story of Warhol’s world and the vibrant Pop Art scene and movement of 1960s New York.
Virginia Damtsa
Curated by Virginia Damtsa in Association with Kiwi Arts Group and David Hill Gallery
WarholMania: William J. Kennedy & Billy Name, 13th September to 12th December 2024 Warhol Kennedy Residence, 190 Strand, London.
Private View: 12th September 2024 6-9pm Invite Only*
