"I am a deeply superficial person" - Andy Warhol

"I like boring things" - Andy Warhol.

1928 - 1987

I love Andy Warhol. I always have, always will. Ever since my Dad brought me to see his travelling exhibition in the Irish Museum of Modern Art when I was five. The man is amazing. I know some people thought he was crap, or overrated, or ridiculous, but there is something about his pop art that I have always just loved and identified with.

I remember it so well. I had my hair scraped up into the neatest ballerina's bun imaginable and I wore a black and purple flower velvet dress with my white tights and black patent buckle shoes. I looked fricken amazing if I do say so myself. Anyways, my dad drove us over there and I fell in love immediately. The colours, settled on white walls and stands popped out at me. Everything was huge and playful looking. Fun. Exciting. Nothing like I had ever seen before in my short-lived life. I had also known who Marilyn Monroe (one of my icons) was too so when I saw her stunning face projected into many pictures and colours I was in awe. I remember the huge multicoloured pictures of Elvis and of a bunch of Campbell's tomato soup boxes stacked sporadically on a stand in the middle of a room. I was enthralled. I had never eperienced nothing like this at all in my life.

There were interactive pieces too. "The Lindy Tuck-In Turn-Man" dancing diagram was printed onto the floor so people could practice it, which my father and myself tried out and fell over. Naturally. That's what happens when you put the two must left-feeted people together and try and get them to try the Foxtrot. But that's besides the point. I just basically fell in love with this man "Andy Warhol". I'd never met him or knew what he even looked like, but he seemed like my kind of guy and we could have the laughs together. Maybe he would've liked my headless Barbies. Alas, this meeting was never to proceed, as the little fucker died 2 years before I was even born. The sheer nerve of the guy. I immediately forgave him when I entered that a room that said "NO ADULTS ALLOWED". Dad stood at the door while I roamed inside. There were other children my age playing with what I can only describe as inflatable silver pillows. Lots and lots of them. I was in complete and utter awe of the whole spectacle. It felt like I was in a little haven where I could do what I wanted. The room just screamed FUN to me. I could just picture Warhol looking over the children with joy on his face, loving the fact that parents and adults could not join in, that this was purely art for the children.

"Silver Clouds" - Andy Warhol 1966

I will never forget that glorious day. It started my obsession with Warhol from about then on. For my Junior Cert in art I did 2 huge pieces inspired by Warhol. I came across a print of Mickey Mouse (who I fricken adore too) that he did in different colours, and I replicated it all over my books and copy pages instead of doing actual school work.

I also watched the film "The Factory Girl" starring Sienna Miller. It was a biopic on Edie Sedgwick, who was for a long time Andy Warhol's muse and how he treated her (bold Andy) and how drugs became her demise. I would have loved to have lived during that period and floated around the Factory to see the goings on of that whole group. Edie Sedgwick in her own right was a huge fashion icon. Nowadays people have stylists and the top people primping and preening celebrities to perfection, but Sedgwick did her own hair, make up and styling. The girl was IT. Sweet, beautiful, playful, and innocence were what made her such an entity to the fashion and art world. I would have loved to see what she would look like now if she was still alive. I would like to imagine that she would still wear those huge earrings that she always used to wear with fabulous eye make-up.

I am currently on the look out for a MASSIVE Marilyn Monroe painting by Andy Warhole so that I can put it on my wall in my bedroom. The bigger the better. I want it to be the main focal point of my room. Nothing else on that side. Just cream walls and her beautiful face. The sooner I find a not-so-expensive one I'll snap it up straight away, but untill then I shall have to deal with the fabulous pictures off the internet.

Until next time bunnies,

Living In Wonderland xo