Billabong x Warhol

words by ben stephens

Andrew Warhola, he was an introverted designer/artist that flourished in the 60’s with his pop culture art forms. An interesting cat indeed, he started off in the advertising industry of 1950’s New York. Imagine the industry then; it was all laundry powder logos and the use of colour prints; both blowing minds of the Americas and founded the advertising industry of today.

Those close to him have said that he was an introverted character, sticking to his close circle of friends and spending hours perfecting his craft. Come the 60’s Warhola dropped the ‘a’ on the end of his name and started to be recognised as an iconic artist.

On top of his well-known pieces like ‘Marilyn Diptych’, ‘100 Soup Cans’ and ‘100 Coca-Cola Bottles’, Warhol threw his had as film directing in the late 60’s. He spent two weeks on the West Coast of America creating a piece of pop culture named ‘San Diego Surf’. An odd pairing for the New Yorker, to take on the West Coast culture with a feature film, placing a mirror on which the community could observe themselves.