It's funny how someone with Asperger's Syndrome (a form of autism, where it's hard to read human facial expressions/emotion) had a pretty strong grasp of human psychology and behavior.
His variations on a theme, his fascination with mass production and how the subject matter was interchangeable with human beings may have been misunderstood. Instead of objectifying his subjects, his way of seeing seemed to be about taxonomies of persona- variations on a theme of the strikingly similar ways people who are programmed with backgrounds that are less than savory react to their environments.
I always saw his work as deeply compassionate.
Here were a bunch of messed up people yearning to be seen. The neglected, from the poor little rich girls to the most destitute and strung out of prostitutes and drag queens. He didn't care. He didn't individuate. He may have been in some cases, the ONLY person who "saw" them clearly. And they would have done anything for him because of that.
I always saw his work as deeply compassionate.
Here were a bunch of messed up people yearning to be seen. The neglected, from the poor little rich girls to the most destitute and strung out of prostitutes and drag queens. He didn't care. He didn't individuate. He may have been in some cases, the ONLY person who "saw" them clearly. And they would have done anything for him because of that.
(This is how cults are formed, kiddies. Be careful with that.)
Unfortunately, trauma creates pretty predictable behaviors of self-destruction, compulsion, addiction, and in worse case scenarios, personality disorders.
In spite of that, he didn't judge. He let everyone in. A lot of damaged people in.
Which eventually would be to his detriment when, on June 4th, 1968, a disgruntled and severely mentally ill playwright by the name of Valerie Solanas entered his Union Square studio and shot him point blank with a .22 revolver.
He survived, but according to reports, was never the same again.
The observer became the traumatized, paranoid subject.
(If you want to see how much of a miracle it was that he survived, here is the incredible medical account:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/surgeon-saved-andy-warhols-life-died-448463 )
(If you want to see how much of a miracle it was that he survived, here is the incredible medical account:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/surgeon-saved-andy-warhols-life-died-448463 )
Observing and understanding are not the same thing as processing. His downfall was ironically the same thing that allowed him to see so clearly, without judgement.
We must develop healthy boundaries. We must individuate. And why it's up to the individual to not judge the person, but the behavior, is up to us individually to do if we choose to do that. (I personally do.) But in addition to that, we must see, feel, process and protect our most precious gifts
***and not let anyone walk all over them***.
Blessings,
A-
