In the world of art, there have been many brilliant artists who connected their art with analog photography. However, American artist, sculptor, producer, photographer, and designer Andy Warhol literally put his life on film. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warhol showed an incredible fascination with Polaroid cameras .
Although Andy Warhol was American, he had Ukrainian roots – his parents were Rusyns from the village of Mykova (now Slovakia). They spoke their native language with their three sons and never learned English. He created around 10,000 works: paintings, illustrations, sculptures, installations, films, books, and photographs. The last item in this vast list had significant exposure and resonance among the photography art lovers of the 20th century.
“Polaroids are like Andy Warhol's Instagram. He made documenting life popular long before anyone ever heard of the internet.”
CBS Mornings Channel
Polaroid Camera Favorites
Throughout his career, Andy Warhol experimented with photographing everything that could develop photos, from the vintage SX-70 to large-format 8×10 and 20x24 portrait photos.
One of his most famous cameras was the Polaroid Big Shot. This camera was released by Polaroid in 1971 and was designed for portrait work.
Warhol used it for many of his iconic portraits, including famous shots of Dolly Parton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other celebrities of the past century.
Polaroid Big Shot used a special type 100 film (or Peel-apart Film), which was discontinued with the bankruptcy of Polaroid. An alternative was the Fujifilm FP-100C film, but it too is no longer produced.
Warhol also experimented with the Polaroid Land 30 camera, which used the same type of film as the Polaroid Big Shot. Peel-apart Film – this was the photo film used in older Polaroid camera models. The film's feature was that after taking the shot, the photograph developed under a hidden negative layer, and then the part of the film containing the positive image of the photograph was separated or “peeled off” from the remaining part. Today, such film is made only by one company – One Instant, but in very limited quantities. A group of enthusiasts manually assembles cartridges to revive the popularity of peel-apart film, though it is very expensive and quite unstable.
With the arrival of the iconic SX-70 Land Camera in 1972, the artist's vision reached a new level of expression. His work became even more unique due to the ability to instantly capture his one-of-a-kind ideas. Cameras of this type use SX-70 cartridges, which are still made and available for purchase from us.
Andy Warhol was a great fan of the SX-70 and used it for his experiments and projects. He considered this camera the perfect tool due to the properties of its lens and its unique perception of light. This helped give his photographs an aesthetic appearance and sharpness in every element within the frame.
Famous Exhibitions and Books About Andy Warhol
“Andy Warhol: A Retrospective” (Retrospective of Andy Warhol)
This exhibition took place at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1989. It was the largest retrospective of Warhol's work, showcasing over 400 of his pieces and demonstrating his influence on contemporary art. Every visitor had the chance to see the original Polaroids and paintings by the artist, which are now valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
In May 2019, Taschen announced the release of the book “Warhol On Basquiat”, which allows every Polaroid photography enthusiast to be inspired by 200 rare Warhol shots that hadn't been exhibited or widely publicized. The book also contains collaborations with Warhol's best friend – the legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat played a huge role in Warhol's life and inspired many of their joint projects.
The works from this book were part of the exhibition “The Whitney Museum of American Art Retrospective” (The Retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art), which took place in 1971 and was Warhol’s first major retrospective.
Taschen also presented a new book on portraits – “Andy Warhol. Polaroids 1958-1987.” This edition includes iconic shots and selfies by the artist from 1958 to 1987, where his broad and subtle perception of beauty painted in his mind strict compositions that he spiced with a touch of unconventionality.
The Most Expensive Portraits in Polaroid History
With the spread of the internet and the growing interest in art, the market for collecting has become very active. Collectors are seeking unique and historically significant items, which supports the rise in prices for Warhol’s Polaroid portraits.
Christie's auction house listed a collection of photos for sale. One lot of an original photo started at $2,000. The most expensive was Warhol's self-portrait, which had a starting price of $24,000.
Among the 129 lots, you can find photographs featuring Liza Minnelli, Paloma Picasso, Yves Saint Laurent, Joan Collins, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, and other stars.
Liza Minnelli in the lens of Andy Warhol
Paloma Picasso and Andy Warhol. Shot on the Polaroid SX-70
Portrait of Yves Saint Laurent. Experts value a series of photos of the famous designer taken on Polaroid by Andy Warhol at £40,000
Portrait with the autograph of Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson
Andy Warhol not only created art, but invented a new lifestyle. His passion for analog photography, especially Polaroid, not only opened up new possibilities in visual arts but also emphasized the artist's role as an observer of the world.
Through his photographs, Warhol elevated the documentation of everyday life to a new level. He became a prophet of Instagram, creating cultural moments of his time so vivid and authentic that they were preserved for future generations. His experiments with cameras and Polaroid film became a catalyst for new ideas and technological innovations in photography.
Today, when digital technology has almost completely replaced analog, memories of Warhol and his art remain a reminder of the importance of perceiving beauty in all its forms, even in the simplest moments of our lives.
