Warhol's Clones Summary

The article, Warhol’s Clones, by Richard Meyer begins with Andy Warhol’s invitation to decorate the New York Pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair. Warhol chose to create what was to become a highly controversial piece of art, Thirteen Most Wanted Men. The article then quickly summarizes its fate of becoming covered by aluminum paint and later, further covered by a black cloth. This is evidence that supports one of Meyer’s arguments that the artwork was censored due to Warhol idolatrizing and showing desire towards the wanted men. Another piece of evidence that supports this is the work being similar to Marilyn Monroe Twenty Times as both contain subject matter pertaining to the idea of fame. Or, in the case of Thirteen Most Wanted Men, infamy. Meyers then dives into another one of his main arguments about how Thirteen Most Wanted Men is about masculinity but also a reflection of Warhol’s homosexuality. By displaying the men on a large mural they become watched and wanted by the viewer, as Meyer writes. The article then …show more content…
He takes Warhol’s art in context along with culture, specifically gay culture, at the time. Take, for example, the first piece written about: Thirteen Most Wanted Men. Meyers connects the piece back to Marilyn Monroe Twenty Times, drawing parallels about fame. In order to connect to his large point about gay clones, Meyers then widens the lens to 1960s gay culture. The culture that contained a desire to be masculine and copy those that were considered such. Meyers quotes the San Francisco Sentinel to help bolster his claim as well as Drummer magazine. Thirteen Most Wanted Men is not the only pieces Meyers referenced to support his thesis. Some of the other works of art were Double Elvis, Ethel Scull Thirty-six Times, Elvis I, as well as Andy Warhol. With Elvis I, Meyers specifically connects it to the machismo culture with the bright