WarholMania exhibition review: Candid photographs offer rare glimpse Into Andy Warhol’s world

A new photography exhibition in London offers a unique insight into Andy Warhol’s world. Set against the backdrop of Warhol’s legendary Silver Factory, WarholMania showcases rarely seen black-and-white photographs captured by two of the artist’s closest collaborators, Billy Name and William John Kennedy. 

The exhibition, held in the Warhol Kennedy Residence, offers an intimate portrayal of Warhol’s creative universe, spotlighting the ground-breaking Pop Art movement that defined the 1960s New York art scene. Remarkable images of the artist and his collaborators, pepper every inch of the small apartment, from living space to bedroom. 

A mixture of posed compositions and candid snaps, stolen as Warhol worked, offer a glimpse into Warhol’s creative collective.

The exhibition in the Warhol Kennedy Residence, offers an intimate portrayal of Warhol’s creative universe…

Billy Name, Warhol’s long-time collaborator and resident photographer at the Factory from 1964 to 1968, documented what is considered one of the most important periods of Warhol’s career.

His images, many of which are on display at WarholMania, exude the raw energy and experimental spirit of Warhol’s studio, at 231 East 47th Street in Manhattan. 

This loft, transformed into a hub of avant-garde creativity, was famously ‘silverised’ by Billy himself, who coated the entire space in silver foil and spray paint, creating a futuristic and surreal environment that became synonymous with Warhol’s artistic vision.

Warhol was so impressed with Name’s decorating skills that he gifted him a Pentax Honeywell 35mm camera and named him the Factory’s official snapper. Billy’s photographs now provide a rare window into the daily life at the Factory, from the creation of Warhol’s iconic artworks to the filming of cult classic films like Chelsea Girls and Vinyl.

He also captured fleeting moments with Factory regulars, including Lou Reed, Nico, Edie Sedgwick, and Bob Dylan, documenting the chaotic and creative community that surrounded Warhol.

Name also captures Warhol in several photographs without his trademark sunglasses, revealing a very different face to the world.

Name left the Silver Factory in 1970, leaving behind the negatives of his precious photographs. Following Warhol’s death in 1987, the Warhol Foundation returned the negatives to the photographer, who later produced a series of silkscreens from them, in homage to Warhol’s technique.

The rediscovery of William John Kennedy’s ‘Lost Archive’

WarholMania also features the recently unearthed ‘Lost Archive’ of William John Kennedy, another photographer with close ties to Warhol. Kennedy, known for his work in fine art photography, had a friendship with Warhol in the early 1960s.

His photographs, taken during the artist’s formative years, capture Warhol before he became a household name. These images, stored and nearly forgotten in a cupboard for 50 years, offer an intimate look at Warhol at the dawn of the Pop Art movement.

Rediscovered in the early 2000s, the photographs provide a rare glimpse into Warhol’s early career, revealing a more personal side of the artist often hidden behind his larger-than-life public persona.

One of the most iconic images on display in the apartment is Kennedy’s shot of Warhol holding up his acetate of Marilyn Monroe, which was to be used to create some of Warhol’s most famous works – the artist seen through his own art. However, the photographer also documents the moments before, as Warhol unwraps the acetate for the first time, a unique moment in time preserved.

WarholMania is a celebration of an era that reshaped art and culture. Through the eyes of Billy Name and William John Kennedy, we’re offered a rare chance to witness first-hand the creation of some of Warhol’s most iconic works.

WarholMania runs at the Warhol Kennedy Residence, 190 The Strand, London, from September 13 – October 31.  To schedule a visit book here.