The collection includes classic American landscapes and self portraits of the pop culture icon
While Andy Warhol might be best known for his controversial silkscreens and technicolor paintings, the American artist and father of pop culture also had a sharp eye for photography – and an expansive collection of his lesser-known photographs is going under the hammer later this month.
The online-only auction held by Christie’s, takes bidders across a charming collection of American landscapes, including black and white beaches of Montauk, the mountains of Colorado, and blossoming trees and flowers along the streets of New York City, among others.
The collection of film photographs are set to fetch approximately US$2,000 for each individual landscape shot and still life photo all the way up to US$50,000 for a set of two unique polaroid self-portraits depicting Warhol posing with a camera.
All of the proceeds from the rare 60-photo collection, appropriately dubbed Better Days, will be donated to the Andy Warhol Foundation’s topical new emergency relief fund in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The foundation’s endowment will go toward supporting artist-centered organizations and community programs, artists and the creation of new art, and “projects that make significant contributions to the visual arts field.”
“Commonly known as the Master of Pop, Better Days features a different, but ever important, side of Warhol’s body of work” the luxury auction house said in a statement on its website. “Christie’s is delighted to support the Andy Warhol Foundation’s recent emergency relief fund for artists through Better Days, featuring original photography by Warhol.”
Bidding for the online-only Better Days auction begins next week, on Tuesday, April 28 at 10pm HKT and spans through to Wednesday, May 6 at 10pm.