Pop culture in the desert

Get set for a magical experience -- of Andy Warhol's unique art in one of the world's most stunning and artistic venues,” is what we’re told as our vehicle zips down the vast Saudi Arabian desert landscape in AlUla (a city that also catches the attention for the unique way it's spelt).

Indeed, as the tangerine tints of the evening sun give the towering sandstone mountains, outcrops, and desert oases a dramatic, artistic touch we too gear up for a unique experience that lies ahead.

Soon, the fifty (and more) shades of browns and oranges make way for the Ashar Valley which boasts of a Mecca for art lovers in AlUla. We're talking about a mammoth building called ‘Maraya’ (which means ‘mirror’ in Arabic) that stuns with its mirrored cladding to look like a mirage in the desert.

With over 9,740 square meters of facade covered with mirrors, Maraya has, we’re told, earned itself a place in the Guinness World Records (2020) as the largest mirrored building in the world!

As we walk into this imposing structure that's hosting the first exhibition of a foreign artist, we're ushered towards the area exhibiting 'FAME: Andy Warhol in AlUla'. It brings together an eclectic collection of artworks, archival material, and films from the collection of The Andy Warhol Museum in the US.

The iconic American artist and founder of the pop-art movement is known for his vibrant, colourful, and unique artworks. No sooner than we enter Warhol's world, his fascination with the glittering high society of Hollywood celebrities becomes evident.

"Right from the time he was growing up in the tough, industrial town of Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol seemed to have loved the world of famous people, especially Hollywood stars," says Abdur Rehman, as he takes us around the exhibition.

Despite Warhol's humble beginnings, he made a big name for himself and went on to have greater interactions with celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers not just at the renowned Studio 54 in New York, but also for Interview, the magazine that he founded. And over the years, his art became a symbol of the 1960s' American pop culture that continues to inspire artists the world over even today.

We start with the section showing about 11 of Warhol's 'screen tests' shot between 1964 and 1966 at his studio called The Factory. Also referred to as "filmed portraits", these videos, in slow motion, show guests, both famous like the US musician Lou Reed having a cold drink, and not-so-famous ones, probably visitors who came in for a dekko. The guests, it seems, were asked to just sit silently, look at the camera and do nothing.

"All this seems compelling viewing and one can just sit and look at these screen tests for hours together,” smiles a fellow visitor. Rehman, meanwhile, adds that all of Andy Warhol’s artworks and films here have been placed in a controlled environment to ensure they stay safe and in their original state.

After walking through sections that show Warhol trying his hand at pottery and silk printing, we come to the area displaying works the artist is synonymous with. In fact, photographic silkscreen printing became his most notable style to create experimental, unusual art pieces in bold lines and bright colours.

Besides Andy Warhol’s self-portraits, we get to see multi-hued paintings and silkscreen prints of many personalities like Marlon Brando (in his famous Johnny Strabler avatar from the movie The Wild One), Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, and Dolly Parton, among others. Non-filmy people such as Jackie Kennedy, and Princess Caroline of Monaco also embody Warhol's fascination with fame, wealth, and tragedy.

It's interesting that while Warhol didn't invent the photographic silkscreen process, he developed a new technique, all his own. This entailed combining hand-painted backgrounds with photographic silkscreen printed images to create innovative works of art.

We see this in the series of portraits of Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer who, we are told, was one of Warhol's muses. Capturing his energy and intensity, the boxer's portraits showcase both his physical prowess as well as his larger-than-life persona. And of course, the impact he created on American culture.

Amidst talk of Warhol's fascination with Eastern art and culture particularly Chinese calligraphy among his admirers there, we come to a unique installation created in 1966, called 'Silver Clouds'. It consists of a number of helium-filled silver Mylar balloons that float around the room, propelled by air currents and the visitors' movements. And, needless to say, it is a hit from the word go.

In keeping with Warhol's aim to create art that is interactive, fun-loving and lively, we too get into a playful mood making the light-as-a-feather balloons float around the exhibition hall. As their silver surfaces catch the light and create a shimmering effect, these balloons make for perfect Instagramable shots – something that Andy Warhol would (in all probability) have approved of.