Andy Warhol: Social Circus

For the first time in Asia, a rare collection of Andy Warhol polaroids of the world’s biggest actors, artists and fashion designers from the 70s and 80s, will be on display in Singapore.

The brainchild of lawyer and art collector Ryan Su, “Andy Warhol: Social Circus” is the largest collection of Andy Warhol Polaroids to be shown in Singapore and Asia.

This is also the first time these polaroids have been reunited and exhibited under one roof in Asia, since they were pulled out of Warhol’s Polaroid camera between 1958-1987 and dispersed across the world by various collectors.

These polaroids not only demonstrate Warhol’s influence as an artist and society figure, but also inspire his large-scale portraits he is best known for. They form an integral part of Warhol’s artistic method and practice. Warhol took photographs of his subjects with a Polaroid camera and made them look as glamorous as possible. These Polaroids are the source material of the famous silkscreen portraits that are valued into the millions today.

The social relevance of the Warhol’s Self-Portrait Polaroid is difficult to miss in this world of “selfies” – where narcissism, self- adoration, perfection and self-image pervade. Yet, this is an ironic Polaroid. At this stage of his life, Andy Warhol became fiercely private. His fright wig, and sunglasses act as facades and shields.

The visitors of the “Andy Warhol: Social Circus” will be transported to Warhol’s studio—The Factory in 1970’s and 80’s New York. The Factory was a breeding ground for creativity. It was here that Warhol produced prints, paintings, photographs and films. Some of the Polaroids in Andy Warhol: Social Circus were shot in The Factory.

Warhol’s Factory was more than a physical space. It was essentially Warhol’s social circle—a sweet spot where the denizens of the New York City underworld mingled with the upper crust. “Andy Warhol: Social Circus” is a manifestation and contextualisation of Warhol’s Polaroids. Perhaps visitors will see more of themselves by seeing how Warhol observed the world