Remembering Andy
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It’s been almost 30 years since Andy Warhol died in Manhattan’s New York Hospital on February 22, 1987. Since his death, Warhol’s star has only burned brighter. The King of Pop (Art) still reigns supreme with his influence felt in fashion, music, and film. Most notably, anything by Warhol has turned to commercial gold in the art world: his artworks sell for unprecedented prices.
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In 2002, Green Car Crash sold for $71 million; last year 200 One Dollar Bills sold at Sotheby’s for a cool $43.7 million; and the artist’s 1963 work, Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster) netted over $100 million.
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The legacy that Warhol left behind still attracts the world’s most renowned personalities — including ARTSPACE 8 street artist WhIsBe. Almost 30 years on, we celebrate the enduring legacy of Andy and his profound influence on culture.
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INTRODUCING… WhIsBe: Street Art Prankster And Provocateur
Street-art in New York has a considerable following; Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat both started their careers as graffiti artists, filling local walls with their colorful designs, while Banksy most recently turned New York City into his own personal art gallery in 2013.
Clearly inspired by these graffiti giants, Manhattan street artist, WhIsBe, brings an irreverent and playful edge to his own art. In 2011, WhIsBe first gained notoriety by adorning the same hallowed walls tagged by SAMO© (aka Jean-Michel Basquiat) around New York’s School of Visual Art. His “McDictator” graffiti mascot, not unlike Bansky’s own political interventions, were featured in a Huffington Post article featuring protest art targeting the Golden Arches.
Bridging both graffiti and Pop art, ARTSPACE 8 is excited to bring WhIsBe’s artwork from the streets of downtown New York to the heart of Chicago. His candy-colored canvases featuring pop culture icons from Andy Warhol to Coca-Cola are injected with equal parts naughty and nice. In his artwork, you’ll find gummy bear mugshots and 1950s pinups smiling seductively.
Vandal Gummy Bear, Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2015. Inquire for pricing.
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Make sure to check out WhIsBe’s work exclusively at ARTSPACE 8, on the 3rd and 4th floor of 900 N Michigan shops.
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