The Ferens Gallery is mounting a major exhibition of Andy Warhol, one of the most influential and infamous artists to emerge in post-war America. A broad range of Warhol’s work from the ARTIST ROOMS collection will be included, from rarely-seen stitched photographs to his iconic posters and late paintings.
The unique stitched photographs produced in 1986, mark a return to Warhol’s interest in multiple images. He put together groups of four, six or twelve prints of the same image and had them sewn together to form one complete work of art. The thread is left to hang as he did not want to disguise how the work had been made. Warhol’s intention was often to emphasise the significance of something unusual.
The posters on display, which span the 60s, 70s, and 80s, illustrate strong themes within Warhol’s art. He was keenly aware of the power of branding, advertising and marketing. In his posters he celebrates the modern commercial world that had provided prosperity for post-war America.
ARTIST ROOMS On Tour is an inspired partnership with the Art Fund – the fundraising charity for works of art, making available the ARTIST ROOMS collection of international contemporary art to galleries throughout the UK. ARTIST ROOMS is jointly owned by Tate and National Galleries of Scotland and was established through The d’Offay Donation in 2008, with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, and the Scottish and British Governments.
Hull Councillor Terry Geraghty, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said it was a “fantastic coup” for Hull to get such a high-profile exhibition on loan from the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.
He said: “The show is an excellent example of our commitment to helping young people in the city connect with the arts.
“We are immensely proud of the commitment and hard work young volunteers have put in to making this show a success. I’m sure it will be enjoyed by a very wide variety of audiences in the city and beyond.”
The Ferens gallery’s permanent collection of paintings and sculpture spans artistic periods from medieval times to the present day. The collection includes European Old Masters, portraiture, marine paintings, and modern and contemporary British art. Highlights include masterpieces by Frans Hals, Antonio Canaletto, Stanley Spencer, David Hockney, Helen Chadwick and Gillian Wearing.