Düsseldorf, 15 November 2022: Steve Schapiro began photographing Andy Warhol for Life magazine in 1965. At the time, Warhol was just cementing his reputation as a major Pop artist. Warhol knew very well that he could only achieve star status if he surrounded himself with people who documented his rise. Schapiro, who, in his own words, mainly "kept quiet and smiled a lot", seems to have been just as ambitious as Warhol. His photographs precisely documented the rise and fascination from New York cult artist to 20th century icon.

Ironically, Schapiro's story never appeared in Life, which is why many of his photographs are published for the first time with this book. 

Schapiro photographed Warhol in the company of his entourage of superstars, such as Edie Sedgwick and Nico - at openings, shooting his underground film Camp, making his silkscreen prints at the Factory, wandering the streets of New York and even at the opening of Warhol's first museum retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. That night at the museum, attended by thousands, was the beginning of "Andymania". Schapiro's final stop was Los Angeles, where Andy exhibited his Silver Clouds at Ferus Gallery, stayed with his gang at The Castle, and hosted and filmed a performance by the cult band Velvet Underground at Trip.  This book features just over 150 photographs by Steve Schapiro with artworks by Warhol taken during this period. Textual contributions include an interview with Steve Schapiro, who died in early 2022, and an essay and captions by official Warhol biographer Blake Gopnik. 

The Photographer:

Steve Schapiro was a press photographer whose photographs graced the covers of Vanity Fair, Time, Sports Illustrated, Life, Look, Paris Match and People, and can be found in many museum collections. He has had his work published in several books including American Edge, Schapiro's Heroes, The Godfather Family Album, Taxi Driver, Then and Now, Bowie and most recently Misericordia. Many of his images were used for posters and advertising campaigns for Hollywood films such as Asphalt Cowboy (Midnight Cowboy), Taxi Driver, The Way We Were (The Way We Were) and The Godfather III (The Godfather Part III). He died in 2022.

The author:

Blake Gopnik was senior art critic for The Washington Post from 2000 to 2010 and is a regular contributor to The New York Times. His biography of Warhol the artist was published in 2020. He holds a PhD from Oxford University.

Alethea Magazine Book Recommendation: 

Andy Warhol and Friends 1965-1966 is the ultimate portrait of an artist who had a major impact on post-war American culture. It contains previously unseen photos and texts by a contemporary witness of Andy Warhol - a true treasure trove of information and facts.

Which editions are available: Collector's Edition (No. 101-700), numbered and signed by Steve Schapiro. 

Also available as Art Editions (No. 1-100), each accompanied by a signed silver gelatin print. 

Steve Schapiro, Blake Gopnik Hardcover in acrylic slipcase, 26,3 x 37,3 cm, 8,50 kg, 236 pages 

Collector's Edition (No. 101-700), numbered and signed by Steve Schapiro Euro 850

Art Editions (No. 1-100), signed silver gelatin print

taschen.com

One of the myths that clings most firmly to Warhol is that he had little to do with making his paintings and prints. Schapiro helps demolish that falsehood: Despite a handful of assistants, Warhol had a “hand,” literally, in most of the quite artisanal objects that came out of his studio. The studio on East 47th Street was called the Factory because its space had once been industrial; in Warhol’s time, nothing like mass production went on there.

New York, 1965

Original texts from the book Steve Schapiro. Andy Warhol and Friends ©Taschen

© Die Familienunternehmer

Business, 13 November 2022

Award ceremony: The Familienunternehmer at Schloss Bensberg: Gala, innovations and zest for action. The Familienunternehmer (family entrepreneurs) from the regional districts of Lower Rhine Düsseldorf and Cologne Bonn met at Bensberg Castle for the award ceremony of outstanding entrepreneurial achievements. The following were awarded: "Successful Transformation", "Strategic Growth" and the Sustainability Award was also presented.

Read more:

Dieter Nuhr in his atelier in Düsseldorf ©Dieter Nuhr

Art Calendar, 13 November 2022

World traveller & artist Dieter Nuhr's exhibition "Von Fernen umgeben / Entouré de Lointains" is now also on display in Dakar, Senegal. Nuhr now wants to travel through Senegal and later process his experiences artistically in his studio in Düsseldorf.

Read more:

2011 Advent Valley, Arktis Foto: Gianluca Battista

Art Calendar, 6 November 2022

HA Schult at BILD TV on 7 November 2022, 10.30 pm "What is protest allowed to do?"

Read more

Eden Project in Cornwall ©Eden Project

Art Calendar / Environment, 20 October 2022

Eden News: Eden Curator Hannah Hooks in an exclusive interview about the Super Natural exhibition and the role of artists in the Eden Project. 

Read more

Grand Cuvée Label Leon Löwentraut ©Josef Hornstein

Art Calendar, 10 November 2022

New: Leon Löwentraut and Josef Hornstein - Artist Grand Cuvée Label for Charity Action. Leon Löwentraut (24), the internationally celebrated art star, and Josef Hornstein (26), innovative Lake Constance winemaker, will present their jointly developed Grand Cuvée at the Hornstein Winery near Lindau on 14 November 2022.

Read more

HA Schult in Matera ©HA Schult

Art / Art Calendar / Environment, 1 November 2022

HA Schult and Christa Steinle - we can influence people's thoughts, but not their actions. HA Schult at Circular Valley in Wuppertal on 18 November 2022. Alethea Magazine has the honour of reproducing an Artist Talk that HA Schult had with the Austrian art historian and then director of the Graz Joanneum Museum, Dr. Christa Steinle on 7 October 2006 at Palais Herberstein.

Read more