September 14, 2006
From the Archives: Los Angeles Times review of Warhol's first solo show
Today's "From the Archives" entry is the local paper's review of Andy Warhol's first solo exhibition, held at the legendary Ferus Gallery in the summer of 1962. The review, written by one Jack Smith (how fortuitous!), was published on July 23. It's worth reading in full, as the author can't quite believe his eyes, gets quotes from Irving Blum (in a review!), makes a discovery down the street, and then, as he initially suspects of Warhol, plants his tongue "firmly in his cheek."
My search for understanding in our times led me the other morning to the Ferus Art Gallery on La Cienega Blvd., in Beverly Hills, to examine the exhibit there of the work of the young New York artist, Andy Warhol, in the field of Campbell's Soup.Mr. Warhol's one-man show consists of 32 paintings of cans of this veneral company's familiar product. The paintings appear to be uncompromisingly faithful to detail.
Mr. Warhol's painting, "Turkey Vegetable," for example, is the twin of his equally honest "Chicken Noodle," except for the words "turkey vegetable" and "chicken noodle."
The total effect, I thought, was one of seeing perhaps more paintings of soup cans than one might care to see. I suspected for a moment, even, that Mr. Warhol might have had his tongue in his cheek.
But Irving Blum, the proprietor of the gallery, assured me that this was not the case.
This young fellow is deadline serious," said Blum of the artist. "And fresh as this moment."
* * *"In these paintings," he said, "Andy Warhol is reintroducing subject matter in a very new, fresh way.
"There is a relentlessness about these paintings," said Blum, "which has a terrifying, Kafka-esque intensity.
"I'm convinced of their validity," Blum declared, as I studied Warhol's "Cream of Asparagus." "Of their importance in the history of art—we shall have to wait and see."
I thanked Blum for his help and took a final look at Warhol's "Consomme." I noticed the first "m" was larger than the second and wasn't terribly hard-edged, either. Perhaps, I mused, Warhol had been trying to tell us something there.
As I left the gallery, my eye scanned the long shimmering line of red soup cans. Warhol's exhibit seemed to be breathing silently.
* * *
A block down the boulevard I was caught up short by a display in the window of the Primus-Stuart Gallery, which I take to be a friendly rival of Blum's establishment.
In the Primus-Stuart window stood a pyramid constructed of eight rows of Campbell's Soup cans. A turkey vegetable roosted at the summit. At the left a small sign read, "Do Not Be Misled. Get the Original. Our Low Price—Two for 33 Cents."
The pyramid of red, white, black and gold stood starkly against an orange backdrop. The effect was one of hard-edged realism, with a sort of terrifying intensity to it.