Warhol, Andy (1928-1987)
Self-Portrait
1964
Acrylic, silver paint, and silkscreen ink on linen, 50.8 × 40.6 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
© 2018 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Warhol based his first painted self-portrait on a photo booth photograph, and the work showcases Warhol’s ability to manipulate his persona itself as an artistic medium. As he admitted a few years later, “I’d prefer to remain a mystery, I never like to give my background and, anyway, I make it all up different every time I’m asked.” This work marked a starting point for Warhol’s career-long engagement with the construction of identity, especially as it pertained to crafting his public persona. (AIC)