Product Description: Description: "So many categories!" Andy Warhol would complain during his rigorous, nearly obsessive daily shopping regimen of antique stores, galleries, auction houses, and flea markets. Though best known as a proponent of the avant-garde, Warhol was also passionately engaged with the historical past, an interest which found a direct yet imaginative expression in the serious collecting he undertook from the mid-50s until his death. Possession Obsession proposes that collecting was another form of artistic practice for Warhol, one that provides as much insight into his interests, tastes, and ideas as do his other myriad art forms. Accompanying essays examine the how, why, and what of Warhol's collection, the crucial role it played in his life, the aesthetic quality and historical associations of the objects themselves, the psychological and sexual aspects of collecting, other artists' use of collecting, and the relationship between collecting and mass culture. Also included are Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs of Warhol's home, with an introduction by Patti Smith.
cool concept I bought this as a gift for my girlfriend, who loves Warhol (although now it seems everyone loves Warhol). She was not very intrigued by the book, even though she also loves collecting knick-knacks. So I looked closely at the book trying to figure out why, and I have to say that the book just doesn't have enough in it. I think that the text is well written and shares some interesting anecdotes, and philosophical/psychological discussion of collecting, but that's not really why I thought the book would be cool. I think we wanted to see those Time Capsule boxes opened up, more shots of his home (there are some, but not many), and then there is a whole chapter on random people who collect things--why is this chapter included? Do I care what some unkown goofball finds interesting? I think this book was a great concept, but it falls flat in my mind.
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