Gallery Delaive proudly announces the exhibition Andy Warhol: Royal Icons. Opening on November 22, 2024, the exhibition provides a unique look into Warhol’s fascination with societal icons, fashion, fame and power.
Andy Warhol is one of the 20th century’s most famous and laureated artists who was a pioneer in dissolving the boundaries between art and popular culture. Warhol’s ability to transform public figures into cultural icons and his mastery of silkscreen techniques formed an artistic revolution in the Post-War period which still captivates audiences today.
This exhibition brings together some of Warhol’s most celebrated works, with as a special highlight of the show the Reigning Queens (trial proof) set from 1985, in which Warhol immortalizes four iconic queens, including Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Beatrix, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland (now Eswatini). With his vibrant and varied use of color and layered textures, the series demonstrates Warhol’s unique approach to majesty and the portrayal of power, transforming these royal figures into larger-than-life symbols of public fascination. “I want to be as famous as the Queen of England,” he once said, and with this series, he forever linked his name to the world-renowned queens.
In addition to a set of four Reigning Queens, Andy Warhol: Royal Icons includes a complete set of Beatrix silkscreens in the highly coveted ‘Royal Edition’, which is part of the same series. This edition, limited to 30 prints per color variation, features luxurious ‘diamond dust’ on the contour lines, adding dimension and highlighting the glamour and spark of the works.
Also included is a rare Marilyn Monroe print from 1967—a tribute to one of Warhol’s favorite subjects who had passed away several years prior— which reflects his adoration of the timelessness of the ‘new royalty’ of that age: Hollywood stars. Finally, the iconic print Shoes from 1980 pays homage to Warhol’s early days as a commercial artist and highlights his fascination with fashion and consumer culture, for which he became famous through works with Campbell’s Soup cans and Brillo Boxes.
Andy Warhol: Royal Icons invites visitors to immerse themselves in Warhol’s provocative world, where the boundaries of art and fame blur, and beauty and power intersect.
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