06.09.2013
Part of a festival of art and culture to mark Andrew Carnegie’s legacy
The techniques behind Andy Warhol’s art will be demonstrated at the Scottish Parliament through a series of free weekend workshops in October. ‘Pop Art Prints’ will be run by the Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop to coincide with the ‘Andy Warhol: Pop, Power and Politics’ exhibition, which runs at the Scottish Parliament from 5 October to 3 November.
In using screen printing, Andy Warhol applied industry techniques of mass production to the making of works of art. These short workshops, supported by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust, will provide an insight into his technique and offer an opportunity to see and learn how these iconic images were produced.
The Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP said:
“The ‘Pop, Power and Politics’ exhibition will give people the chance to view nearly 50 of Andy Warhol’s iconic works in the unique setting of the Scottish Parliament building. These weekend workshops are the perfect addition to the exhibition as they will lift the veil on the techniques Warhol himself used in order to produce his most enduring images.
“I am grateful to the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust for supporting the workshops and to the Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop for making them happen. And who knows, perhaps the workshops will help inspire some budding, young artists of today.”
Martyn Evans, Chief Executive of the Carnegie UK Trust, who were instrumental in bringing the Warhol exhibition to the UK, said:
“Andy Warhol is one of the most celebrated artists of our time, inspiring and entertaining a generation. This unique collection forms an integral part of the Andrew Carnegie International Legacy festival and the screen printing workshops are testimony to the Andrew Carnegie philosophy; that art and culture should be accessible to all.
“What many don’t know is that Andy Warhol received his first formal training in art through free classes offered by the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these free workshops educated and inspired the next Warhol!”
Booking information for the workshops
The workshops will take place on the weekends of 19, 20, 26, 27 October and 2, 3 November. They will be run from 11.00 am - 4.00pm. The free demonstrations will last 30 minutes each. Booking is recommended as places are limited to 30 people for each demonstration. To book telephone 0131 348 5454, stating required number of places. The workshops are open to all ages.
Booking information for the exhibition
Booking for ‘Andy Warhol: Pop, Power and Politics’ exhibition is recommended as tickets will be administered by a specific start time to the viewing (unrestricted end time) and can be done via:
- the online form via the Parliament website www.scottish.parliament.uk/warhol
- a dedicated telephone line on 0131 348 5454 - the telephone number references the famous New York nightclub, Studio 54, which Warhol frequented regularly during the 70s and 80s
- emailing [email protected]
Background information
Andy Warhol: Pop, Power and Politics is being exhibited in the Scottish Parliament in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and as a result of generous support from the Carnegie UK Trust as part of Andrew Carnegie’s International Legacy week. Many of the artworks are being exhibited in Scotland for the first time and the Scottish Parliament is the first legislative body to ever exhibit his work.
Warhol rejected the notion that his art was a critique of society and described himself as an artist who simply depicted the environment of his time. Featuring mainly works from The Andy Warhol Museum’s collections, the exhibition highlights the artist’s portraits of iconic politicians and other powerful figures, and a number of artworks made to support political and environmental causes. The artist’s portfolio made five years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, conveys the artist’s interest in mass media and its portrayal of death.
A number of works made by Warhol for political and environmental campaigns are being loaned from Artist Rooms, jointly owned and managed by Tate and National Galleries of Scotland.
The exhibition is part of a wider programme of events and exhibitions taking place in the Parliament to celebrate the international legacy of Scots-American industrialist Andrew Carnegie. The philanthropist made his money in Pittsburgh and The Andy Warhol Museum is just one example of his philanthropic legacy.
Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop
The Fife Dunfermline Printmakers Workshop is an artist-run printmaking workshop established in 1982 for artists based in Fife and neighbouring areas. The workshop (FDPW) is situated in the basement of the Dell Farquharson Community Centre in Dunfermline.