Andy Warhol

From commercial illustration to pop art

Born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol (1928–1987) worked as a commercial illustrator in New York before becoming a leading figure in pop art in the early 1960s. He brought advertising, packaging and film stars into painting, printmaking and sculpture.

Repeated images and screenprinting allowed him to explore how mass culture creates an icon. Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley became celebrated subjects. In the 1980s he also collaborated on paintings with Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Brillo and everyday objects

The Brillo Boxes of 1964 recreated commercial packaging as wooden, screenprinted sculptures. An ordinary box became an art object, challenging expectations about what belongs in a gallery.

BE@RBRICK at ArtComburo

MEDICOM TOY carries Warhol’s motifs onto the BE@RBRICK form. Portraits wrap around the body, while Brillo graphics become arrangements of lettering and colour. These are contemporary collectible editions using the artist’s imagery, distinct from original Warhol paintings, prints and sculptures.

Compare 1000% figures, measuring 70 cm, with 400% + 100% sets, combining 28 cm and 7 cm figures. Check the exact edition and contents on each listing.

Gufram × Andy Warhol Foundation

Andy’s Cactus in Orange, Green and White offers another interpretation. The colour editions draw on Warhol’s 1986 self-portraits. The original Cactus form was designed by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello; these versions were developed with the artist’s foundation. Explore them on the Gufram page.