In and Out of Warhol's Orbit
Nat Finkelstein
Proud Central, 32 John Adam St, Charing Cross, WC2N 6BP
Free
Nat Finkelstein is a Photojournalist who was lucky enough to spend three years as the house photographer at Andy Warhol's infamous studio, the Silver Factory. A documentation of life around the famous Artist in America in the 1960s, this collection works as a highly intimate and enlightening insight into Warhol's marvellous world of fame, fortune and frivolity.
Upstairs the photographs seem to have a documentary style, where images of Andy in the studio are complimented by ones of him surrounded by friends. They are honest and exposed - a contact sheet entitled 'Dancing Girl' is particularly memorable, due to the characters innocence and the price of over £4000. The photographs are mostly unposed, and at times slightly blurred, which stand in direct contrast to the perfectly-polished images we usually see of these characters, the underground bourgeoisie, who are constantly on display to the outside world.
The images on the lower-ground floor are no longer products of Nat Finkelstein, and contain subjects such as Bowie, Amy Winehouse, and Freddie Mercury. They are focused on decadence and are constructed in such a way that suggests commercial usage. These are the photos the public are used to seeing of their heroes: flawless and fabulous. An image which stood out to me was 'Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet, 1968', a imaginative, silly and opulent depiction of the rock band by Michael Joseph. Another was 'Chelsea Hotel Colour, 1975' by Norman Seff, which is a powerful and memorable portrait of band Blondie.
Whilst all the images display the evident countercultures and trends of the time, the two floors are starkly different. The top floor oozes an exclusivity and secrecy which the colourful, bold and dynamic photographs of the lower ground floor do not possess. They are the 'unseen', and help the viewer come away feeling as if they have shared a secret with Warhol himself. For a small exhibition, In and Out of Warhol's Orbit leaves a lasting impression, with the separate works on the lower floor providing the contrast needed to truly realise the intimacy of Finkelstein's images.
OVERALL RATING: ***
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