Marisol and Warhol Take New York

Marisol and Warhol Take New York charts the emergence of Marisol (1930–2016) and Andy Warhol (1928–1987) in New York during the dawn of Pop art in the early 1960s. The exhibition explores the artists’ parallel rises to success, the formation of their artistic personas, their savvy navigation of gallery relationships, and the blossoming of their early artistic practices from 1960 to 1968. The exhibition features key loans of Marisol’s work from major global collections, along with iconic works and rarely seen films and archival materials from The Warhol’s collection.

Born in Paris to Venezuelan parents, Marisol (Maria Sol Escobar) held a central position in the New York art scene and American Pop movement. Over time, however, she was written out of the white male-dominated Pop narrative. By situating her work in dialogue with Warhol’s, this exhibition seeks to reclaim the importance of her practice; reframe the strength, originality, and daring nature of her work; and reconsider her as one of the leading figures of the Pop era.

The exhibition highlights shared themes in the artists’ works: iconic Pop subjects of Coca-Cola and the Kennedy family; Warhol’s covertly queer early paintings with Marisol’s investigation of the female experience; the artists’ roles as influencers in the New York gallery scene; and expansive ideas of installation. Integrated throughout the exhibition are Warhol’s silent films of Marisol, produced in 1963–1964, which capture an intimate side of her otherwise reserved persona.

Curated by Jessica Beck, The Warhol’s Milton Fine curator of art, the exhibition debuts at The Warhol and will travel to the Pérez Art Museum Miami in April 2022. The exhibition catalogue includes contributions by Jessica Beck, Jeffrey Deitch, Angie Cruz, Eleanor Friedberger, Jennifer Josten, and Franklin Sirmans and public programming will include a film series curated by Alisha Wormsley.

Marisol and Warhol Take New York is presented by the Richard King Mellon Foundation and generously supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art, Jim Spencer and Michael Lin, Alice and Yaso Snyder and the WP Snyder Charitable Fund, Dawn and Chris Fleischner, and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Additional gratitude to friends of The Andy Warhol Museum.