Andy Warhol: Stars of the Silver Screen explores Warhol’s fascination with Hollywood, fame, and stardom. Warhol’s desire to look at the stars was ignited while attending his neighborhood cinemas with his brothers in gritty, industrial 1930s Pittsburgh. He reveled in the glamorous actors, elegant costumes, and sophisticated settings of the movies from Hollywood’s golden years.

As a child, Warhol sent away for fan photos and devoured movie magazines, surrounding himself with celebrity images. This practice continued into adulthood, and he eventually accumulated a profusion of photographs, movie posters, and other memorabilia.

This exhibition considers celebrity through hundreds of archival items from The Warhol’s vast collection of Warhol’s personal items and related artworks. It also examines some of the inspiration behind the work that kick-started the current age of global celebrity culture.

Andy Warhola's childhood movie star scrapbook, ca. 1938–42, The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, founding collection, contribution The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.