User avatar
Shot97
Detroit, MI, USA

Posted Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:23 am

I've long known Andy Warhol, along with Debbie Harry, were the highlight of the original Amiga 1000 launch. I also recall reading, not too long ago, that he was not just getting paid... He got into the Amiga... Thousands of floppy disks were found at his estate. Unfortunately not much news has come of that since. Of an apparent thousand floppy disks, all we have is a few pictures.

In a new article it has been revealed that the Museum of New Art will be showing a sort of short film from Andy Warhol created on the Amiga. From what I gather they are still pictures with some sort of theme, not an actual film. But it looks like he also set aside music for this set of pictures as well. Looks like the "film" is titled "YOU ARE THE ONE" and will consist of 20 still pictures.

They will be displayed at the Museum of New Art, though the article does not go into specifics of where and when this is... Simply stating that it's a one time deal... That's it... "Yet after this single viewing, I’m afraid the work will be lost again for at least another generation.” - That... Is pretty bullshit if you ask me...

Apparently this museum is in my neck of the woods... Its website touts it as "Detroit's Contemporary Museum since 1996". Can't say I've ever run across it, and I've been to my share of museums. Their website seems to list them as being in Troy, a burb and also an area I was forced to grow up in... Never ran across it there either. But if I check their WIKI it may be that it is in fact not a "museum" at all... It's a pop up gallery that uses gallery spaces all the way from Detroit to Pontiac (30 miles between). So it's not really a permanent location. The wiki lists The Russell Industrial Center as one location they often use. I am well aware of that iconic building.

While it's sweet to read the article (dated January 5th, 2017 - Today when written) it's also sadly missing some very relevant information... Where will this roaming museum be displaying this precious artwork and when? I've found no dates as of now and the "museum" has no true address. How exactly did this place, out of so many possible choices, why are they getting it? And only for one showing? Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, he died in New York... Why is this stuff in Detroit? I can't say I understand it, the article did not go that deeply into it...

For me; I'm fascinated with this lost aspect of the Amiga's (and Warhol's) history. Thousands of floppy disks with art... It's too bad he didn't come out with any of this art while he was alive. I'm so curious about his interests in the Amiga. What he found about it that made him create so many images, what perhaps he didn't like or frustrated him. He seemed to be very much into taking photographs and transferring them to the Amiga to work on, he was not doing his own pixel art. How did that process go? What did he use to accomplish this? This music he wanted to go along with this film, where did that come from?

A million questions... This artwork needs to get out... Not just for the history of Warhol and the Amiga... But for the history of art... Unfortunately it looks like this is a one time deal.. I really hope it's not like in 2 days and I"m not going to know about it... I hope they hype this thing up... I hope I can bring a camera in, though I doubt it... If I can happen to pinpoint where and when this thing is going down, I'll at the very least go there with my eyes and report back to you all. If anyone else can figure out where and when this thing is going down, please let me know...

User avatar
Stef

Posted Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:39 am

Thanks for this post...it reminded me of having read about this find of Warhol Amiga art some time ago (and having subsequently forgotten). I was intrigued to hear that the works were on display at the moment (even though I'm in the UK, and would be unlikely to be around Detroit any time soon!). Sadly it seems the 'article date' is misleading - the date shown isn't the date it was posted, just the date whenever you view it.

I tested the URL in archive.org's wayback machine and it indicates a date of May 19, 2014. (See here: http://web.archive.org/web/201405010000 ... of-New-Art)

User avatar
Shot97
Detroit, MI, USA

Posted Mon Jan 09, 2017 1:17 am

Ah damn! And you know my first thought was "how old is this"? - But nobody else ever said anything about it as far as I could tell... It makes such little sense why this Andy Warhol Amiga artwork was never followed up on... This is when the media "could" be something a little more than clickbait looking for views... I mean it's not uncovering a political scandal by any means.... But even then they're not doing that to help anyone but themselves because brining down a corrupt politician sells...

Then there's a fluff... Oh too much of the news.,... Had enough of depressing crap that makes you afraid to walk down the street? Let's bring them up with a nice and silly pet story! They're so cute!

What is to become of all this Andy Warhol artwork on the Amiga? Was this story real? I mean I knew it was badly written in that it didn't point to places or times... But I didn't see anything that made me think it was a lie... But I see no evidence this ever happened... And if it did, I see no evidence to suggest anyone reported on it.... So... Let's hope those floppy disks are around in another 20 years, eh?

Or maybe a couple reporters start calling his estate wanting to know some information? No lives will be saved, no body will go to jail, but art by an artist could be appreciated and enjoyed...





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