In 1964 Pop artist Andy Warhol started to take his “Screen Tests”, short portrait films of his colleagues and friends who visited him in his famous studio, the “Factory” in New York.
Today, more than forty years after the last test was taken, fascination with the films still motivates people to look at them in exhibitions and books. They still catch us with their complex character as time witnesses and social documents, combined with a strong effect as extraordinarily personal pieces of art.
In the following essay, I will illustrate in which way these complex films and their meanings are shaped in different contexts of representation: installed in an exhibition and printed in book form.
At first when dealing with this question, it needs to be clear what the Screen Tests are: The films are not screen tests in the conventional sense of the word. The term usually means short test films taken of actors on castings to decide if they get a part in a film. In Warhol’s Screen Tests, the sitter was instructed to look straight into the camera, without movement or emoting, and if possible even without blinking over the three minutes of recording time. People were recorded in close- ups, deprived of the chance to hide even the smallest movement of their faces (Angell, 2006).
The “Stillies”, as Warhol called them in the beginning, were often produced spontaneously and with casual rapidity. The conceptual sophistication of these films as a whole makes this long- term project a central piece of Warhol’s work as a portrait artist in the medium of both film and painting. They can be seen as the “stem cells of Warhol’s portraiture” (Angell, 2006, p.12): Giving us an overview over the world of fame and glamour in the 1960s scene, with almost exclusively well- known sitters, they deal with the same objects – celebrities – as Warhol’s paintings do.
Like all of Warhol’s early films, they are taken on his first film camera “Bolex” in black- and- white and on silent speed (16 instead of 24 frames per second). It is especially the combination of the slow silent speed, the almost- stillness of the obedient sitters and the unusual lack of sound in the films, which makes these portraits “hybrid art images” (Sokolowski, 2004, p. 9), on the borderline between still photography and the moving image.
Table of Contents
1. An Analysis of the Effects of Contextual Representation: Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” in an Exhibition and in Book Form.
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores how the perception and meaning of Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” change depending on their context of representation, specifically comparing their presentation as large-scale installations in a museum exhibition versus their documentation in a catalogue raisonné. The core research addresses how these distinct environments shape the viewer's understanding of the psychological dynamics and potential political manipulation inherent in the original film project.
- The psychological impact of Warhol’s “Screen Test” filming technique on his sitters.
- The role of exhibition design in influencing the viewer's sense of power and contemplation.
- The function of the catalogue raisonné as a tool for providing historical and social context.
- The interplay between celebrity, the art market, and opportunistic creation in Warhol’s work.
Excerpt from the Book
An Analysis of the Effects of Contextual Representation: Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” in an Exhibition and in Book Form.
In 1964 Pop artist Andy Warhol started to take his “Screen Tests”, short portrait films of his colleagues and friends who visited him in his famous studio, the “Factory” in New York. Today, more than forty years after the last test was taken, fascination with the films still motivates people to look at them in exhibitions and books. They still catch us with their complex character as time witnesses and social documents, combined with a strong effect as extraordinarily personal pieces of art.
In the following essay, I will illustrate in which way these complex films and their meanings are shaped in different contexts of representation: installed in an exhibition (Fig. 1) and printed in book form (Fig. 2).
Chapter Summary
An Analysis of the Effects of Contextual Representation: Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” in an Exhibition and in Book Form.: This chapter provides an introduction to the Screen Tests, describing their technical origins and contrasting their presentation in an art museum setting with their archival documentation in book format.
Keywords
Andy Warhol, Screen Tests, Contemporary Photographic Practices, Exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, Catalogue Raisonné, Callie Angell, Portraiture, Pop Art, Celebrity, Psychological study, Contextual Representation, Art market, Film Archive, Social documents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper examines how Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” are influenced by their environment, focusing specifically on how different modes of display—the gallery space and the printed catalogue—alter the interpretation of these films.
What are the central themes explored?
The work explores themes of artistic portraiture, the relationship between the viewer and the sitter, the influence of the art market on creative production, and the psychological weight of being filmed under Warhol’s specific conditions.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to demonstrate that the meaning of the Screen Tests is not static but is actively constructed by the context in which the work is encountered, shifting from intimate psychological study to a more critical exploration of power and manipulation.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The author uses a comparative analytical method, juxtaposing a qualitative review of an exhibition installation with a descriptive analysis of a research-based catalogue raisonné to evaluate shifting interpretations.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections detail the filming process, the psychological pressure on subjects, the specific installation tactics used at the Museum of Modern Art to influence spectator perception, and the role of Callie Angell’s documentation in exposing the opportunistic nature of the project.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Andy Warhol, Screen Tests, exhibition design, catalogue raisonné, psychological study, Pop Art, and celebrity culture.
How does the exhibition installation influence the viewer?
The installation places the viewer in a position of "mutual contemplating" by using large screens, elevated positioning, and specific room arrangements that evoke a sense of the awkwardness and supervision originally experienced by the sitters.
How does the book format change the perception of the films?
The book format serves as a tool for political and social contextualization, allowing the reader to understand the "behind-the-scenes" motivations, such as the use of the films for flattering sponsors or influencing the art market.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Doerfel (Author), 2011, An Analysis of the Effects of Contextual Representation: Andy Warhol’s “Screen Tests” in an Exhibition and in Book Form, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/208188
