Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol’s FLESH

Not on display

Artist: Andy Warhol 1928–1987
Medium: Lithograph on paper
Dimensions: Support: 1042 × 689 mm
frame: 1122 × 765 × 38 mm
Collection: ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland
Acquisition: ARTIST ROOMS Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
Reference: AR00379

Online caption

Released in 1968, ‘Flesh’ proved to be a major success, marking a turning point in Warhol’s films. Throughout his career Warhol made numerous movies, many of which were experimental and pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in cinema. Yet Flesh was conceived, filmed and edited by the young film-maker Paul Morrissey whilst Warhol was recovering from gun-shot wounds. With it he bridged the gap between Warhol’s traditionally avant-garde films and commercial Hollywood. Featuring the lead character, Joe Dallesandro, prominently on the poster was a deliberate acknowledgement by Morrissey that the young actor’s photogenic looks would encourage viewers. Also, despite Warhol’s minimal involvement, including his name in the title draws on his celebrity as a marketing tool.