Warhol, Basquiat and Haring in an Exposition in the Peninsula New York Hotel
Thirty years after opening its doors, The Peninsula New York celebrates it’s anniversary with an exhibition of famous artists. It is free and can be seen in the public spaces of the building. Prominent and original works of Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Keith Haring, Jean-Michael Basquiat, Barbara Kruger and Michael Halsband invite you to go back in time the early years of the hotel, the 1980’s. With their reputation of exclusiveness, The Peninsula New York has chosen an ambitious and superb melange of famous and skilled artists.
Description of the artists exhibited:
ANDY WARHOL
Warhol is viewed as the father of a movement that shaped the New York art world during the 1980s. The story of his famed Campbell’s Soup works not only established the beginning of the Pop Art movement in 1962, it became one of the most iconic, signature pieces of Andy Warhol’s career. With this, the hotel has installed 10 original screen prints of Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup” in the upper lobby seating area, for visitors to view until the end of October.
Warhol’s interpretation of Chairman Mao resulted in the creation of a portfolio that contains ten brightly coloured, monumental portraits that now cover the walls of the hotel’s Gotham Lounge and are available to view until the end of August. These portraits illustrate Warhol’s fascination with the clash of imagery between Communist propaganda and Western fashion, in keeping with his portraits of other famed celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
Additional works by Warhol available for viewing through to the end of October include “Sausage Tree” (1986), “Toy Painting Robot” (1981) and “Diamond Dusk Candy Box” (1981), all of which are on view in the upper lobby.
FRANCESCO CLEMENTE
Italian contemporary artist Clemente’s wide-ranging works of the 1980s often centered on various representations of the human body, evoking sexuality and religion. He was known to often collaborate with the likes of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. His work, “Number Five” (1985), is on view across from the front desk reception, while his self-portrait of Andy Warhol (1982-1987) can be viewed in the Palm Court until close of October.
KEITH HARING
Haring’s rise to fame in the 1980s is attributed to his pop art and graffiti-like drawings in New York City’s subways, which he considered to be his “laboratory.” Upon arriving to the hotel, guests will immediately notice Haring’s large-scale piece, “Untitled”, which overtakes the lower lobby seating area filling the space with red and black hues painted on metal. His work “Untitled Subway Drawing” (1, 1981-1985) will be on display in the palm court while his work “Totem” (1981-1982) will be on display to the left of the Concierge desk. In addition, his work, “Untitled Subway Drawing” (2) is available for viewing in the hotel’s upper lobby across from the front desk reception area. All works will be on display until the end of October.
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
Born in Brooklyn, Basquiat was made famous for his gritty style, a nod to New York’s street art. An original piece of his, “Untitled” (1984) is currently on display at the top of the stairs as guests enter Gotham Lounge.
BARBARA KRUGER
Known for her conceptual art and bold collages Kruger’s piece “Untitled, Your Pleasure is Spasmodic and Short Lived” (1980) is hung in the Palm Court for guests to enjoy.
MICHAEL HALSBAND
The exhibition features three iconic portraits of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat by famed photographer Michael Halsband, when the two visited his studio on July 10, 1985. The images were taken to create a boxing-style poster to announce the collaboration of the two artists for a future exhibition. The three portraits, “Andy Warhol & Jean-Michel Basquiat #133,” “Andy Warhol & Jean-Michel Basquiat #1 (first roll, first frame of the sitting),” and “Andy Warhol & Jean-Michel Basquiat #143” are on display in the hotel’s Palm Court.