TAKEAWAY: A new Andy Warhol exhibit in the nation’s capital, titled Warhol: Headlines, highlights the pop artist’s fascination with the tabloid press. ALSO: Reporting from the University of Missouri campus
Andy’s over the top tabloid designs
Tabloid newspapers fascinated the artist
Here is how Andy Warhol imagined tabloid newspaper design: not too far fetched.
The new Andy Warhol exhibit, titled “Warhol: Headlines, ” is on at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and if you are a Warhol fan who likes tabloid newspaper design, then you are in for a double treat.
It is an exhibit that explores the artist’s fascination with the media, celebrities and, indeed, those loud tabloid front pages. I think Andy would be in his element with today’s tabloid journalism and the barrage of coverage of such people as all the Kardashians, Ashton and Demi, Angelina and Brad, the two famous Jennifers, and, of course, Paris and Nicole.
But the exhibit captures Andy and Madonna——who, as we know, continues to grace the front pages of tabloids globally with whatever she does. Talk about sustainability!
The National Gallery of Art’s description of the exhibit refers to Andy Warhol’s ” lifelong obsession with the sensational side of contemporary news media, and examples of his source materials for the works of art will be presented for comparison, revealing Warhol’s role as both editor and author.”
What I find interesting in Andy’s interpretation of what tabloid design is all about is the exaggerated (well, maybe NOT so exaggerated) strokes for headlines, colors, design details. In looking at Warhol’s sketch of the Madonna tabloid front page I realize that perhaps some of today’s tabloids have lost the fun, colorful and iconic quality that he brought to his version.
If Andy lived today his appetite for tabloid-styled journalism would probably allow him to extend his canvas beyond newspapers and onto magazines and tablets.
Chances are that Andy Warhol himself would be the subject of some of that coverage, perhaps much to his liking.
Today: reporting from the University of Missouri
I am greatly honored to be visiting the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism as one of the five recipients of the Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism.
As part of the activities for the day, all of the medal recipients will teach a Master Class, open to all students and faculty as well as members of the community. My class is scheduled for today at 4 pm and it is titled: “It’s All About Storytelling in the Times of the iPad and Beyond”.
I look forward very much to my visit to the University of Missouri campus, visiting two classes, one on newspaper design and another on digital magazine publishing, and mingling with students and faculty. I derive great satisfaction with my interaction with students, and often seek such opportunities.
Will be reporting tomorrow about my impressions during my visit.
Of special interest today
You love your iPhone—literally?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/opinion/you-love-your-iphone-literally.html?_r=1&hp
Highlight: A recent experiment that Martin Lindstrom carried out using neuroimaging technology “suggests that drug-related terms like “addiction” and “fix” aren’t as scientifically accurate as a word we use to describe our most cherished personal relationships. That word is “love.””