5 Lesser-Known Facts About Andy Warhol
5 Lesser-Known Facts About Andy Warhol
- 1. The Hidden Catholic Beneath The Silver Wig
- Despite his reputation for hedonism and hosting wild parties at The Factory, Warhol was a devout Catholic who attended Mass several times a week. He regularly volunteered at homeless shelters in New York, kept a Bible by his bedside, and funded his nephew’s studies for priesthood. The St. Vincent ferrer Church where he attended services reported that Warhol would try to remain unseen during worship, often hiding behind pillars to maintain his privacy during prayer.
2. The Near-Fatal Shooting That Changed Everything
While most know Warhol was shot by Valerie Solanas in 1968, few realise the extent of his injuries and their lasting impact. The shooting left him wearing a surgical corset for the rest of his life, and he had to be sewn into his clothes due to weakened muscles. This trauma fundamentally altered his art and personality – he became more withdrawn, paranoid, and his work took on darker themes. He would obsessively record every penny spent on taxi rides, fearing another attack.
3. The Secret Hoarder Of Historic Artefacts
After Warhol’s death, his townhouse was found to contain over 600 time capsules filled with seemingly random items. Among these were priceless artefacts including unpublished manuscripts by Jack Kerouac, rare Native American artefacts, and original drawings by John Lennon. Most surprisingly, he had an extensive collection of high-end dental work – gold teeth and bridges – which he collected as a form of investment.
4. The Revolutionary Computer Artist
In 1985, Warhol was one of the first major artists to embrace digital art, creating works on the Commodore Amiga computer. He produced several digital pieces, including a portrait of Debbie Harry, that were lost for decades until they were recovered from obsolete floppy disks in 2014. He predicted that computers would revolutionise art, making a series of prophetic statements about digital art becoming the future of creative expression.
5. The Mysterious Medical Condition
Throughout his life, Warhol suffered from a rare neurological condition called Sydenham’s chorea, which caused involuntary movements. This condition, combined with his childhood bed rest due to St. Vitus’ Dance, contributed to his development as an artist. During his extended periods of isolation, he would develop his early drawing style and collect celebrity photographs that would later influence his pop art. The condition also contributed to his characteristic unchanging expression and stilted manner of speaking.