warhola

warhola, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

Kari and I went to see Andy Warhol's American Dream exhibit last night. I must admit, i've never really admired Warhol, but then i realized how important it is for someone in every generation to draw a big frame around culture so that we have something definitive to look back at and remember what it was all about. In some ways i don't particularly agree with my own statement, but have a look at any history book, we only remember the things packaged well and that fit together nicely.

Some of the things Andy said struck me as interesting:

It's the movies that have really been running things in America ever since they were invented. They show you what to do, how to do it, when to do it, how to feel about it, and how to look how you feel about it.

The most exciting thing is not doing it. If you fall in love with someone and never do it, it's much more exciting.

An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them.

Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.

I'm bored with that line. I never use it anymore. My new line is "In 15 minutes everybody will be famous."

I'd asked around 10 or 15 people for suggestions. Finally one lady friend asked the right question, 'Well, what do you love most?' That's how I started painting money.

I met someone on the street who said wasn't it great that we're going to have a movie star for president, that it was so Pop, and (laughs) when you think about it like that, it is great, it's so American.