The Wits Art Museum (WAM) last night, opened it's exhibition of the work of iconic pop artist, Andy Warhol. The exhibition features Warhol's Flowers, Endangered Species, Campbell’s Soup Cans, Muhammed Ali, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse and Superman. In addition, Warhol’s celebrated Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers record album, a selection of Interview magazine covers, and the renowned Birmingham Race Riot image is also on exhibition. 

Andy Warhol was an American artist, director and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture, and advertising that flourished by the 1960s, and span a variety of media, including painting, silkscreening, photography, film, and sculpture.

While the Wits Arts Museum’s collections typically revolve around African art, the museum "embraced this exhibition for the unprecedented opportunity to provide access to the work of one of 20th Century Western art’s most important, ground-shifting and anti-establishment artists". 

The pieces are from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Collection and the bank is bringing them to WAM at no cost to the museum as part of its Art in Our Communities® programme. The firm is also supporting an extensive education programme that includes bus sponsorship for under-resourced schools; a publication for school learners and support of the museum’s Teen_Connect workshops for neighbourhood teenagers. 

The exhibition runs from 27 July to 8 October 2017. Contact the WAM for more info on 011 717 1365 .