“I like the politics of Beuys. He should come to the US and be politically active there. That would be great... He should be President.”
—Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys, though distinct in their artistic approaches, were united in their status as icons of 20th-century art, both committed to constructing artistic personalities that came to define their work. Beuys, a leading figure in the Fluxus and Conceptual Art movements, explored the realms of social sculpture and shamanistic practices, emphasizing the potency of the idea and the transformative ability of art in society. By contrast, Warhol, the preeminent Pop artist, was known for his fascination with consumerism and celebrity culture. He created vibrant images of highly recognizable people, symbols and commodities, often utilizing the silkscreen technique to echo mass-media. Despite their differences, both Beuys and Warhol became renowned figures as they subverted the established norms of their time, disregarding artistic convention. For that reason, publishers Jörg Schellmann and Bernd Klüser, together with art dealer Lucio Amelio, suggested that Warhol make portraits of Beuys, a fellow artist with myth-like status to rival his own.
Warhol met Beuys in 1979 when he visited New York for his Guggenheim retrospective, and a critic wrote that the occasion “had all the ceremonial aura of two rival popes meeting in Avignon.” That same year, the two artists met again at the Hans Mayer Gallery in Dusseldorf. There, Warhol took a polaroid of Beuys which would become the basis for the multiple portraits he made of him. Ranging from colorful repetitions, to subtle black-on-black images, to vivid camouflage overlays, Warhol's portraits of Beuys not only signify the crossover of two icons of contemporary art, but also serve as visual testament to the deep mutual respect shared between these influential figures.
