Campbell's is, mmm mmm, good!

Cold weather has arrived, and you know what that means: time to bust out your Ugg boots, your favorite sweatpants, and, my favorite, Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup! Did you know this soup actually served as an artist’s subject? Andy Warhol, a pop artist, took on subjects such as the famous soup, Marilyn Monroe, Coca Cola, and other pop culture icons. In an article entitled “Andy Warhol’s Red Beard”, Blake Stimson tells about his various subjects, analyzing the influencing factors of his artworks.
In his article, Stimson attempts to investigate and prove the influence of two different artists, Ben Shahn and Shirley Temple, on Andy Warhol’s artwork. As a preteen, Warhol idolized Temple, writing her fan mail, going to many showings of her films, and collecting her memorabilia. His obsession with her continued until a new interest developed, one of Truman Capote. So what about being a Shirley Temple fanatic has to do with his art work? Many biographers say that his obsessions helped develop his unique art style that involves collages, tracing, and other uses of mass-cultural sources. Also, Stimson compared Temple to Warhol in that they both brought a childlike innocence into their art. In addition to telling the specific story of his idolatry of Temple, Stimson told of his other drawings and arts. He discussed a variety of pictures, from a sketch of a boy picking his nose to Lenin’s head. Finally, he brought in a comparison of his artwork to Ben Shahn, saying that he was initially described as a cheaper version of the artist. Throughout the article, Stimson attempts to persuade the reader that Warhol not only created works of art, but he also tries to show that he provides an interesting look into various topics.
Many art historians would disagree with the notion that Warhol was an artistic genius, saying that his pictures lack substance and a motive. They also describe him as “a numb, affectless machine and a symptom of the flattening out of the economy of the sign” (Stimson 543). Stimson, however, insists that Warhol acted on his passions, whether it is a childhood star or a political scene. As mentioned earlier, he also relates Warhol’s art initially to Shirley Temple’s acting, saying they both share a childlike persona that is more easily reached and relatable.
In response to critics, Stimson provides numerous arguments for the notion that there is a lack of artistic value in his work. One of his arguments begins with his association with Beardsley. According to Stimson, Warhol attempted to tie into his pictures innocence as well as worldliness. This is shown even when he was a younger artist, drawing pictures of boys masturbating or using the restroom in brisk drawings. He provides sufficient evidence for his claim that Warhol had a unique artistic style as well as was influenced by less common subjects, taking on images from Marilyn Monroe to political issues like the death penalty. With his art, he was able to open his heart on the matters.
So, what does that have to do with athletes like you and me? Andy Warhol contributed some of the most well known art to today’s society. However, he not only provided pictures to be hung in a gallery. He taught an important lesson: Everything is capable of being art. When I’m in my hometown, I love taking pictures of the mountains. My older brother loves to draw cartoons. Even though the skills are as different as night and day, they both are forms of art. With so many ways of expression, it’s evident that it's so easy an athlete can do it!


Works Cited
Stimson, Blake. "Andy Warhol's Red Beard." Art Bulletin 83.3 (2001): 527-47. Web. 29 Nov 2010. .