Tracker Pixel for Entry

Warhol at The Plains Art Museum

Arts | January 31st, 2013

Andy Warhol, Annie Oakley, Silkscreen on paper, 1986, 36 x 36 in., Courtesy of the Cochran Collection. � 2013 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

"Once you 'got' Pop, you could never see a sign the same way again. And once you thought Pop, you could never see America the same way again." - Andy Warhol (“Popism: The Warhol ‘60s”)

Andy Warhol made an unparalleled impact on the culture of American art. Starting this Saturday, The Plains Art Museum will bring his legacy to us. “Andy Warhol: Creating Myth and Icon” will feature two galleries displaying up to 40 original works, making this the first major Warhol exhibition our area has ever seen.

Icon features can be a bold and elaborate task for any museum. And if not done right, such an exhibit can be wrongly interpreted, especially by a smaller community that may not identify with the artist. Plains Art curator Megan Johnston took the plunge anyway.

“My whole curatorial practice is about deepening the relationship of the museum with the community – so I don’t always agree with blockbusters. But this was a little different,” she says.

Johnston’s vision for this exhibition was to make it relevant for any museum visitor. It would be more than just art on a wall – more than just a glorification of an already widely known artist. Rather, it would break down the components of Warhol’s artistic method.

A pop art icon, Warhol was famous for reworking everyday, recognizable images, e.g., a soup can, a mugshot of Marilyn Monroe or a bruised banana.

The artist had an extraordinary ability to mass produce commercial-style art that tested people’s perceptions of what fine art should be. By selecting certain colors, crops and images, he demonstrated art’s powerful expressive abilities.

Andy Warhol, Geronimo, Silkscreen on paper, 1981, 38 x 38 in., Courtesy of the Cochran Collection. � 2013 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

“A lot of people think he was kind of cheeky,” Johnston says. “He was just kind of using or appropriating imagery, which is true. But he was also doing it in many cases to make a point; there was a critical lens that he employed when he selected the image.”

“What would Warhol do?” was an initial concept the museum staff came up with for the exhibit, Johnston says. Because, to understand Warhol, we must understand his process – and that is precisely what this exhibition is setup to disclose.

While both the second and third floors of the museum will display Warhol originals, the second floor will have an activity guide, and a space where people can make their own Warhol-inspired art.

On the third floor, the museum has set up a Warhol social experience, specifically for the night of the reception. Upon entering from the elevator, a “security guard” will grant people all access to The Factory, which was the name of Warhol’s New York City studio. It will have a hip club-feel with a DJ (DJ Econ), food and drinks.

Andy Warhol, The Shadow, Silkscreen on paper, 1981, 38 x 38 in., Courtesy of the Cochran Collection. � 2013 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York

In addition, three local artists have been commissioned to create their own Warhol-inspired art. Printmaking expert John Volk will do a print of “icon” Mayor Dennis Walaker; Native American artist Joe Allen will be responding to Warhol’s very last series, “Cowboys and Indians;” Heather Zinger, Artist-in-Residence at Roger Maris Cancer Center at Sanford Hospital, will do an unusual performance art piece during the public reception starting at 8 p.m.

Another untraditional action Johnston took as a curator was asking the exhibition’s sponsor to play a big role in creating the brand, the look and the feel of the exhibition. Sundog, a marketing and technology company, has really helped the museum accomplish tasks they otherwise would not have been able to achieve on their own, Johnston says.

Perhaps the biggest reason the museum was able to make this show happen is Johnston’s key connection with a couple of major art collectors. Before living and working in Fargo, she was the director of The La Grange Art Museum in La Grange, Georgia.

“It’s an interesting little town,” Johnston says. “It has, probably, per capita, more Warhols than almost any place in the country outside of New York and Pittsburg.”

Wesley and Missy Cochran, two of the town’s biggest art collectors, own an extraordinary collection of Warhol art. Thirty-six of the pieces displayed at the Plains Art Museum will come from their collection.

The two will be at the public reception and Johnston is really encouraging everyone to come, not only to see and experience the exhibit, but also to meet the Cochrans.

“I’ve been telling them how amazing Fargo is, they’re really worried to come up – they are afraid of the cold, but I told them they’d be fine,” Johnston says. “I want them to meet other collectors, other artists. I’m really struck – I’ve been traveling a little bit lately – by how many artists we have in the Fargo-Moorhead area. It’s a great active community – and that changes everything.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Andy Warhol: Creating Myth and Icon

WHERE: Plains Art Museum, 704 First Ave. N., Fargo

WHEN: Public reception: Sat, Feb. 2, 8-10 p.m.; On display: Feb. 3-May 19

HOW MUCH: the reception is $10 for non-members; free for members

INFO: plainsart.org

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…

By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…

Friday March 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium, 226 N. Broadway, FargoDJs and drummer teams compete head to head and have the opportunity to compete for the national championships in November. DJs are judged on performance and creativity.…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…

Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Of the sixteen features I saw during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, none left as big an impression as filmmaker/artist Kahlil Joseph’s astonishing “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions.”…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…

By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…