What better place could exist to screen Andy Warhol’s 1964 film, Empire, than the very building for which it was named? Celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, from now until the end of July, Warhol’s film, as well as a small exhibit about the artist are on display in the lobby of the Empire State Building.
About the building, Warhol said “The Empire State Building is a star!” and clearly he believed this to be true, as his film, Empire, is a single shot of the building taken at night, running more than 7.5 hours long. So don’t worry, if you only see a couple of minutes, you won’t miss out on the storyline!
So what is the point of a 7.5 hour long movie showing the same image the entire time? The answer is certainly up for interpretation, but perhaps it speaks of Warhols’ perspective living in New York as an artist for so many years. Things change all of the time, but the Empire State Building remains the same, and as a symbol of New York City, it asks a powerful question as to which empire he is really referring to. Or is it just about forcing viewers to experience boredom? Maybe there is a storyline after all…
What cubism did for artistic style, pop art did for subject matter, and no one made this change in perception more possible than Warhol. His manipulation of photographs, silk screens, and use of common images, such as his illustrious soup can, redefined what was accepted as art, while also making the art world more accessible to a larger audience.
While Warhol is arguably America’s most famous artist of the 20th century, many people only know him for the iconic work he produced and his unique personal style, while knowing little about the artist’s humble beginnings in New York and the real significance of the work he produced.
If you fall into this category, like so many of us, the exhibit is a great 5-minute way to get better acquainted with Warhol, while taking in the grandness of the building in which the exhibit is housed.
To match the time-span in which it was originally filmed, Empire is screened in four windows of the Empire State Building lobby between the hours of 8 PM and 2:30 AM. While the exhibit itself is too small to really be a destination, avoid the daytime crowds, and drop by for a few minutes after a night on the town. Enjoy the building at night, as Warhol did, and take a stab at defining a film that has left many people with questions!
Article by Amelia Whitworth for FashionIQ