American painter, print & film maker, Andy Warhol is one of the most important figures of American—and possibly the epitome of—American pop culture. As leader of the Pop Art Movement, Warhol created famous artworks of iconic products such as “100 Soup Cans,” “100 Coke Bottles,” and various paintings of celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Muhammad Ali, and, of course, Marilyn Monroe.

In addition to products and celebrities, Andy also made political and social statements with artworks that featured imagery of atomic mushroom clouds, civil rights protesters being attacked by police dogs, and electric chairs. Images that were pivotal to the events of 1960′s America.

Warhol’s influence is undeniable. His studio, “The Factory,” was known as the exclusive hang out for his diverse social circles that included Bohemian artists, Hollywood’s elite and wealthy aristocrats. Warhol has been featured in documentaries, songs, books, and exhibits in countless numbers of museums and has even coined the term “15 minutes of fame” that is obviously still used to this day.

Although many critics during his time attacked his style of art, claiming it capitalized on consumerism and called it “Marketing Art.” But little did they know that Warhol’s new style of imagery was about to change American culture as we knew it.

Salute, To The Risk Taker…

Here’s an interview featuring Andy and one of his close companions, Brigid Berlin: