Andy Warhol: After the Party

"After the Party" at Fotografiska Berlin shows a different Warhol: one who longs for belonging and captures this desire with his camera. Each photo tells of his desire for closeness to fellow revellers, lovers and confidants.

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  – Querelle,1982; Licensed by Artist Rights Society, ARS, New York

• – Table Setting, c. 1981; Licensed by Artist Rights Society, ARS, New York Web Cover

• – Ladies and Gentlemen (Easha McCleary), c. 1974; Licensed by Artist Rights Society ARS, New York

With his white and silver wig, Andy Warhol created one of the most iconic personas of the 20th century. With his depictions of everyday objects and cultural icons, he shaped the Pop Art movement and inspired generations of artists right up to today's pop culture. With his studio, the Factory, he created a myth around the exuberant gatherings of his exclusive circle. But who was Andy Warhol after the party?

After travelling from Fotografiska New York to locations in Stockholm and Tallinn under the name Andy Warhol: Photo Factory, the exhibition has been redesigned for Berlin. After the Party, on show at Fotografiska Berlin from 17 May to 15 September 2024, shows a different Warhol: one who longs for belonging and captures this desire with his camera. Each photo tells of his desire for closeness to fellow celebrators, lovers and confidants. His intimate photographs invite us to empathise with his longing.

The exhibition presents silver gelatine prints of abandoned party tables and empty hotel rooms that encourage us to reflect on transient spaces. Also on display will be Polaroids capturing candid moments with celebrities and muses, including the Ladies and Gentlemen series, which questions stereotypical gender roles. The exhibition tour takes visitors to Montauk, a village on Long Island, where Warhol and his then partner Paul Morrissey bought a house in 1972 that served as a retreat for them and their celebrity friends for years.

Warhol's photographic perspectives provide insights into his most personal thoughts and desires. These include the body study Sex Parts and Torsos, which depicts the naked male body in Polaroids, and the video Blow Job, which shows DeVeren Bookwalter's face while an unseen partner orally pleasures him. These artworks visualise Andy Warhol's desire and invite us to reflect on the complexity of human desire.

His masterpieces and his portraits of celebrities have cemented his status as an icon. His camera was also a tool for him to connect with others. The photographs on display in the exhibition are a testament to how images preserve life-changing memories. Through Warhol's lens, we see the man behind the myth and reflect on our own search for authenticity and belonging.

Opening hours: Daily 10 am to 11 pm

Runtime: Fri, 17/05/2024 to Sun, 15/09/2024

Takes place here:

• Fotografiska Berlin