Image Analysis - "Andy Warhol"

Mark Greenberg  “Andy Warhol” (December 1985)


American photographer Mark Greenberg was chosen by German Stern Magazine to photograph Andy Warhol at his factory in New York in 1985. Feeling overwhelmed by the thought of photographing Andy Warhol and how he would make it somewhat interactive, he decided with letting Warhol be involved in the process. He gave Warhol a piece of paper and a marker and asked him to write the word ‘portrait’ on it. An intrigued Warhol had three attempts at writing the word yet scrunched them up until he was happy, and then posed for Greenberg.

This little insight into Warhol’s world is fascinating, as it goes into his obsession with repetition and is interesting as the type is very messy and appears to have been done quickly and in a rush, yet it was the one he was content with.

            In most cases, the photographers’ distinct style or uniqueness about their images is why they are chosen by companies and magazines to photograph an individual; because they will get an image of that specific style and aesthetic. Taking an image of such a strong, influential and intimidating character such as Warhol I imagine would be difficult, and the idea of trying to incorporate the personality of the subjects versus the personality of the photographer is fascinating. The format in which Greenberg chose to display these images was by repeating them and placing them beside each other with a slight differentiation of color in each image. In this, the subject, Warhol, has to some degree made this picture rather than the photographer doing so. This was obviously Greenberg’s initial plan, as in the other image below his concept “was to photograph Andy 36 times, one roll of Black and White film. With each 6 frames, he (Warhol) would rotate his upper body 15 degrees from face on to the camera, to in the last set of 6 full profile”. This form of imitation of Warhol’s work (such as ‘Campbell’s Soup Cans’) is evident and complimentary of Warhol’s significant style and a marvelous tribute from Greenberg.

Greenberg has composed this image to almost mimic Warhol’s many film’s taken in his factory over his career – with the subject standing or sitting directly facing the camera, with a rather large and somewhat harsh light source from overhead. It can be seen as a rather bland and unimaginative image, yet there is something so beautiful and intriguing with the crop off his head, the way his hands are holding the paper angled and very care freely. Most importantly, what separates this image from any other stock image or portrait taken of Warhol over the years is the interesting background. After researching and desperately trying to find out what it is, my best guess is that it is a wall of Warhol’s notorious Factory, as it has a sort of metallic/brushed look. It also could perhaps be a piece of art that either Warhol or one of his gang members had created, as it somehow resembles a roll of film, being repeated and highly polarized on a canvas or something. No matter what the background is, the repetitive nature of the background perfectly compliments Warhol’s artistic career and his fascination of repetition.

            Two years after Greenberg had taken this image, Andy Warhol died in February 1987 from cardiac arrest. To accompany an article in TIME Magazine outlining Warhol’s life and influence on art - especially Pop Art - Greenberg’s image was chosen above all other portraits. The idea that Warhol actively participated in the creation of this portrait, how it reflects his obsession with repetition, and demonstrates Warhol’s uniqueness is fascinating and invites the viewing to question certain aspects of the image (and the entire series of 36 images Greenberg took, for that matter).  These images captured Warhol at a specific moment in time. They present Warhol as vulnerable, the same his subjects normally felt whilst they were posed in front of his camera; being at the complete mercy of the photographer. 

http://bcthemag.com/2011/11/artist-on-artistphotographer-mark-greenberg’s-portraits-of-iconic-pop-artist-andy-warhol/

http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2011/08/many-photographers-one-subject-portraits-andy-warhol/

http://kosmo.hubpages.com/hub/Andy-Warhol-Wanted-to-be-a-Machine

http://www.markgreenbergphotography.com/warhol_the_story.php