ARTISTAndy Warhol

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Andy Warhol was one of the most prolific and popular artists of his time born on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was a successful magazine and ad illustrator who became a leading artist of the 1960s Pop movements. He excelled in a variety of forms including performing art, filmmaking, video installations, writing, as well as controversially blurred lines between fine art and the mainstream aesthetics.

In his later life, Warhol suffered a chronic issue with his gallbladder on February 20, 1987, and got admitted to New York Hospital where his bladder was successfully removed and seemed to be recovering. However, a few days later he suffered complications that resulted in sudden cardiac arrest and he died on February 22nd, 1987 at the age of 58.  Thousands of people attended the artist funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Warhol graduated from college with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1949, and then moved to New York City to pursue a career as a commercial artist. It was also at this time that he dropped the last letter of his surname from Andy Warhola to Andy Warhol. In the 1950s, Warhol managed to get a job with Glamour magazine in September that year and went onto become one of the most successful commercial artists, and also won frequent awards for his uniquely whimsical style.

He also painted celebrity portraits in vivid garish colours such as Marilyn Monroe, Mic Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Mao Zedong. As these portraits gained fame, Warhol began to receive hundreds of commissions for portraits from socialites and celebrities. One of his iconic portraits was resold for $100 million in 2008, making it one of the most valuable paintings in world history. 

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