When the famed American Pop artist Andy Warhol (1928-1987) first unveiled his series of “Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century” in 1980, the works proved controversial.
According to reviews of more recent exhibits of the series (like the Washington Post, March 5, 2010, by Michael O’Sullivan), critics derided the works, but the public, especially the U.S. Jewish public, loved them.
Today, the Wisconsin public will have a chance to see what the fuss was about when the Jewish Museum Milwaukee displays the series in a special exhibit running Dec. 15 through March 30.
About 200 of the silk-screened prints were published, of which one set, owned by The Spertus Institute in Chicago, is being loaned to the JMM.
The series presents some of the most significant Jewish figures in modern history: Sigmund Freud, Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, Martin Buber, three of the Marx Brothers (Chico, Groucho and Harpo), Albert Einstein, Gertrude Stein and Golda Meir.
As the JMM describes the exhibit, “Warhol’s iconic images of great Jewish thinkers, politicians, performers and writers attest to the lasting achievements and prominence of these singular figures while addressing the issue of the context and time in which they were created.”
And as other critics have noted, this series constitutes one more expression of Warhol’s obsession with fame and celebrity.
A preview event for museum members is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Lynne Warren, curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, will speak about “Modern Celebrity: Andy Warhol’s Fame Machine.”
The cost of $8 per person includes a wine and dessert reception. RSVP is due by Dec. 5.
The public opening will take place on Sunday, Dec. 15, noon-4 p.m. Guided tours will be available throughout the afternoon. Admission is free for members, $5 for non-members.
For more information, call 414-390-5730 or visit JewishMuseumMilwaukee.org.
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