It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since I waited in line, along with thousands of others, to enter the new Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Well, I’m excited to say that this spring The Warhol will be new again with an extraordinary roster of exhibitions, events and a re-imagined display of our permanent collection.
The culmination of our planning for our 20th anniversary is a black tie gala on Saturday, May 17th where we will welcome 650 friends from around the globe (and Pittsburgh!) to join us in relaunching the museum. Given that the event is already sold out without even sending a formal invitation, the party is sure to be the talk of the town. If you’re not able to join us for the gala, please consider coming by the museum that evening starting at midnight when The Warhol will reopen to the public, free-of-charge, through the next day. Sunday, May 18 will showcase the work of our education department and be focused on families, which are an important part of The Warhol audience.
When you visit starting this spring, you’ll notice the museum is going through a major transition as we complete a redesign of our permanent collection galleries. This rehang of the collection represents the most comprehensive review of the museum’s collection of Warhol’s artwork and archival materials since it opened in 1994. Chronologically organized across five of the museum’s seven floors, it will feature masterpieces from the collection alongside rarely seen artworks and archival material.
In addition to the gala and rehang, we’re opening a new exhibition on May 18th that is sure to be popular with our fun and fashionable visitors. Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede examines the interconnected lives and creative practices of Andy Warhol and Halston – two American icons who had a profound impact on the development of 20th century art and fashion. The exhibition has been organized by The Warhol and Lesley Frowick (the niece of Halston). The exhibition integrates Halston’s garments and accessories with photography, video and paintings by Warhol.
If you’ve never visited the museum, or it’s been a while, we’d love to see you soon! There’s no better time to witness the fact that The Warhol continues to evolve and find new ways to explore Andy Warhol’s enduring legacy.