Channeling Warhol

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens a new exhibit called "Regarding Warhol" this Tuesday, September 18, 2012.  An intriguing and complicated American contemporary artist and New York socialite, Warhol in many ways embodied the decadent lifestyle of the inner circles of 1970s and 80s Manhattan.  According to Bob Colacello, a biographer of Andy Warhol, the 1970s and 80s were Warhol's entrepreneurial years.  After a successful emergence in the 1960s, Warhol was a Manhattan socialite during the 1970s and 80s, forming relationships with Mick Jagger, Liza Minnelli, and John Lennon among others, in hopes of rounding up wealthy donors to commission his paintings.

Among the spots Warhol frequented were the famous Manhattan nighclubs Studio 54 and Max's Kansas City.  Studio 54 opened in 1977 at 254 West 54th St in Midtown Manhattan. 

Former Site of Studio 54 (54th and 8th) - now a theater

 In many ways, Studio 54 exemplified the "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" mantra that has been associated with the 1970s and 1980s.  Cocaine was prevalent (federal agents raided the spot for cocaine in 1978) as were alcohol, popular music acts, and electric lightshows.  On February 4, 1980, Studio 54 held a blow-out party before temporarily closing its doors that included Jack Nicholson, Diana Ross, Richard Gere, and Andy Warhol.  Studio 54 is currently a midtown theatre showing "The Mystery of Edwin Drood."

Another of Warhol's hangout spots was Max's Kansas City at 17th and Park in the Union Square area, where Warhol maintained his famous studio "the factory."  Max's Kansas City was a popular hangout spot for artists and musicians in the 1970s and 80s.  It officially closed its doors in November 1981 with a performance by up and coming hip-hop band the Beastie Boys, which had formed earlier that year.  

Former Site of Max's Kansas City (17th and Park)

Scene from Almost Famous depicting Max's Kansas City

Warhol and his entourage were said to have dominated the "back room" of Max's Kansas City during the 1970s.  Aerosmith played their first New York city gig there in 1971, and, in 1973, Bob Marley opened up for a young Bruce Springsteen at Max's Kansas City.  The list goes on and on.  If you've ever watched Almost Famous, the scene where Stillwater finds out they got the cover of Rolling Stone was at a re-creation of Max's Kansas City.  Today, Max's Kansas City is a Bread and Butter coffee shop.

Warhol's Factory (6th Floor of Decker Bldg, Union Sq)

Warhol's studio "the factory" was just around the corner from Max's Kansas City on the sixth floor of the Decker Building (Union Square West and 16th St).  Warhol occupied several studios in New York, but he used this one from 1967-1973.  The iconic Campbell's Soup painting was released in 1968 and likely painted at this studio.  "The factory" itself was actually a popular celeb hangout.  The 1972 Lou Reed song "Take a Walk on the Wild Side," in fact, tells the story of several of Warhol's so-called "superstars" that frequented "the factory" and its wild times.


Let's hope the Met exhibit does a good job at depicting Warhol's intriguing and decadent life.