The Mori Art Museum will host "Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal," Japan's largest-ever retrospective, from February 1 to May 6. A preview was held on January 31.
This exhibition, the largest Warhol retrospective ever held in Japan, is titled "15 Minutes Eternal," and its title comes from Warhol's famous line, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." The exhibition comprehensively showcases Warhol's works from his early years to his final years, embodying the mood of 20th-century America. Approximately 400 works from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh will be on display, along with approximately 300 of Warhol's personal belongings, housed in boxes dubbed "time capsules."
The exhibition is divided into nine sections. The opening section, based on the question "Who was Warhol?", features a collection of portraits of Warhol from his childhood, through his time as a commercial designer, to his successful career as an artist, up until his death in 1987. A 1986 silkscreen self-portrait of Warhol wearing his trademark silver wig greets visitors.

The second section displays works from his time as an illustrator and commercial designer in the 1950s, including works for fashion magazines and advertisements. Illustrated illustrations for women's shoe advertisements and painted shoe lasts are also on display. The "blotted line" drawing technique, which Warhol frequently used at the time, allowed for multiple productions through repetition and transfer, and became the origin of silkscreen work. Warhol won awards for his advertising work, and this section offers a glimpse into the reasons for his success.

When Warhol transitioned to becoming an artist in the 1960s, he produced a large number of silkscreen works using images cut from mass media such as newspapers and advertisements. The third section features two works based on the famous Campbell's Soup, allowing visitors to appreciate the differences between them. Also on display are numerous pieces from Warhol's signature "Star Portraits" series, including five of his ten Marilyn Monroe works. Next to them is a rare, never-before-exhibited work called "Two Marilyns."

Then, in a completely different space, in the "Silver Clouds" section, where natural light pours in through a glass-walled space, silver helium balloons float in the air, bobbing up and down like clouds due to air pressure. During the day, you can see silver clouds reflecting sunlight, while at night, you can see glittering silver clouds projected with the illuminated Tokyo cityscape. Beyond this, you'll find a nearly life-size reproduction of Warhol's New York studio, the Silver Factory. A life-size photograph of photographer Billy Name, who conceived the silver decoration, is also printed on the wall. The two sections from the 1970s feature his silkscreen "Commissioned Portraits" series, including works by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Kimiko Powers. You can also see cameras and portraits of famous people. Also on display is "Dollar Signs, Don't Tread on Me," a collaboration with Jean-Michel Basquiat. The experimental film and video section features "Empire," a fixed-point shot of New York's Empire State Building from dusk to late at night, created after Warhol's "retirement from painting," and the "Screen Tests" series, each featuring approximately three minutes of footage of visitors to the "Factory." The ninth section, "Time Capsule," displays cardboard boxes containing magazine and newspaper clippings and personal notes that Warhol had stored since 1974. These include personal items such as watches, ashtrays, towels, and sunglasses. Japanese ukiyo-e prints and magazines are also on display, making this an intriguing section. The actual cardboard boxes Warhol used are also on display. "Rain Machine," an art and techno installation by Warhol that was unveiled at the American Pavilion at the Osaka Expo in 1970, will also be exhibited here for the first time since the Expo.

The venue also houses a shop selling original exhibition merchandise. Items on display include tote bags, cushions, mugs, and stationery, all featuring Warhol's work. There will also be a workshop in collaboration with the tote bag brand ROOTOTE, where you can create your own original tote bag.


[Event Information]
Mori Art Museum 10th Anniversary Exhibition "Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal"
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Address: 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: February 1st to May 6th
Opening Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (until 17:00 on Tuesdays only)
Admission Fee: Adults 1,500 yen, Students 1,000 yen, Children (ages 4 to junior high school students) 500 yen