Andy Warhol & Music/ Various - Andy Warhol & Music (Various Artists)

Rarely has the existence and work of a painter been so imbued and influenced by music. ANDY lived IN and THROUGH music. Eclectic, he appreciated the popular music of his time as much as the great composers and performers of the Italian Opera. A visitor to the Factory, leaving the "brouhaha" of New York streets, would suddenly discover a mind-blowing musical atmosphere: the radio broadcasting the hits of the time (DONOVAN, BOBBY VEE, IKE AND TINA TURNER), rock & roll but also genuine pop music and "street music" (found thanks to JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT), while the Master, miraculously disconnected from this tumult, worked by feasting on CALLAS' albums. It was a surprising and eclectic playlist. Very early on, ANDY got into the world of music records. During his life, he designed many album covers: classical ones at his beginning (for RCA), then crazier with time (for the ROLLING STONES). He completed this cycle in a masterful way with the covers to the soundtrack of FASSBINDER's QUERELLE. He also got involved in record production with the VELVET UNDERGROUND. Though the VELVET UNDERGROUND album was not a success when it released, today the album is considered an iconic masterpiece, even beyond the banana on it's cover. ANDY didn't pursue this direction depressed with the haunting ego questions inherent in any musical group. We are especially struck by his loyal friendships with musicians who we find throughout this album (LOU REED, MICK JAGGER). His friendly feelings were often expressed in a Polaroid session that he generously offered to translated into a portrait. Several of his muses, his «superstars», were also accomplished musicians such as DEBBIE HARRY and ULTRA VIOLET. In conclusion, from this journey into ANDY's musical universe emerges the coherence of his musical tastes with his pictorial production, which was not burdened with any prejudices and approached countless shores with strength. We can't help but think of KARL LAGERFELD too. Both of them were passionate about the artistic manifestations of their contemporaries, both jealous of their immutable characters and both, each in their own field, were persevering smugglers, almost magically integrating the pure essence of the society in which they live into their respective creations.