Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is one of the most celebrated and recognizable artists of the 20th century. His work is of the Pop and Modern Art Movements. Many are familiar with his Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe pieces but there are others that can remain unknown. This screenprint, Raphael Madonna – $6.99, might be one of these. Pieces of his life can also remain unknown.

Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburg. He was raised in a Byzantine Catholic family in a Carpatho-Rusyn neighborhood. His parents were immigrants from a village in northeast Slovakia. The church deeply impacted his early life as he attended multiple services weekly. He went to Carnegie Mellon and then on to New York City, his adopted home. He joined the art and gay communities there and thrived.

Warhol often created metaphors of contemporary, progressive issues. The issue of consumerism is explicit in this piece along with gender implications. He found and used a platform of printmaking to touch on life, death, desire, and identity, braiding his early and adult lives with shape and color, enlargement and simplicity.

Andy Warhol created icons filled with reflection questions we could read and answer or ignore as we surf by the possibilities he offers. This Madonna based on the Sistine Madonna is an example. At what price would we buy or sell our most dear, guiding traditions and principles? In the currency of time, how many minutes are we willing to spend each week on prayer, service, generosity, beauty, worship, justice . . . ?

As we look at the heart of an artist in 1985, we seem called to search our own in these times. Lord, guide our lives. Lord, hear our prayers. Amen.

In gratitude, faith and hope,

Sandy Prouty
Minister of Children and Families
Montview Church