▲ Joseph Beuys (Green background), 1980, Acrylic and Silkscreen on canvas, 50.8x40.6cm, 1980 ⓒ Andy Warhol, Thaddaeus Ropac

The solo exhibition "Radiant Shadows: Portraits of Joseph Beuys" by Andy Warhol opened at the Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery in Seoul last weekend, featuring a series of Warhol's iconic portraits of the German artist Joseph Beuys.

This exhibition revisits the earliest meetings of Warhol and Beuys, bringing together works that highlight their significant encounters in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These portraits, which are part of major collections worldwide, are being displayed with a solo focus for the first time since the 1980s. 

▲ The portrait of Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys at Lucio Amelio Gallery, Napoli, 1980 ⓒ Thaddaeus Ropac 

The two artists first met in 1979 at an exhibition opening at Hans Mayer in Düsseldorf, Germany. American writer David Galloway described their meeting as having "all the ceremonial aura of two rival popes meeting in Avignon."

Their interactions continued, notably on October 30, 1979, during the installation of Beuys's retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Warhol captured Beuys's image in his studio, using a Polaroid Big Shot to create the now-iconic portrait of Beuys in his felt hat and fishing vest. 

▲ Joseph Beuys (Beige background), 1980, Acrylic and Silkscreen on canvas, 50.8x40.6cm, 1980 ⓒ Andy Warhol, Thaddaeus Ropac

Warhol’s portraits of Beuys demonstrate his experimental approach to materials, featuring variations in scale, format, and technique. These include unique trial proofs, line drawings, and works with diamond dust, as well as tonal inversions resembling photographic negatives.

The exhibition also features Warhol's Reversal series, where he recreated iconic images in reverse, underscoring the importance he placed on his depiction of Beuys. This series includes portraits of Marilyn Monroe, the Mona Lisa, and Mao, alongside Beuys. 

▲ Joseph Beuys (Reversal), Acrylic, Silkscreen ink and diamond dust on canvas, 213.4x117.8cm, 1983 ⓒ Andy Warhol, Thaddaeus Ropac

Warhol’s screenprinting process involved transferring a photograph onto silk with glue and then rolling ink across it, creating slightly different images each time. This method minimized his own hand's visibility, transforming photographic source material into emblematic, icon-like representations.

Warhol's variations in color, composition, and materials, as seen in the trial proofs, demonstrate his innovative understanding of artmaking. These proofs, considered by some as equivalent to original works, highlight Warhol's dismantling of distinctions between editioned and original art.

▲ Joseph Beuys , Synthetic Polymer paint, diamond dust and silkscreen ink on linen, 30.5x85.4cm, 1980 ⓒ Andy Warhol, Thaddaeus RopacBeuys once remarked on Warhol's spiritual essence, suggesting that Warhol's minimalist approach created space for radically different perspectives. Despite their aesthetic and philosophical differences, both artists shared an ability to render the familiar unfamiliar and an obsession with self-stylization.

Warhol’s portraits of Beuys, influenced by his interest in seriality, celebrity, and self-image, create a charismatic record of the most prominent artistic, cultural, and political icons of the twentieth century.

This exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the relationship between Warhol and Beuys, providing insight into their mutual influence and the ways they revolutionized the art world. "Radiant Shadows: Portraits of Joseph Beuys" runs through the end of the summer, inviting art enthusiasts to explore this fascinating intersection of two artistic giants.

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com