A Revealing and Moving Portrait of a Pop Art Icon

The Andy Warhol Diaries is a fascinating and revealing documentary series that takes us behind the scenes of one of the most influential and controversial artists of the 20th century. Based on the 1989 non-fiction book of the same name by Andy Warhol, as edited by Pat Hackett, the series features the famed pop artist narrating his own diary entries through the employment of AI (voiced by Bill Irwin then morphed using Resemble AI. The series also includes interviews with his friends, lovers, collaborators, and critics, who share their insights and perspectives on his life and work.

I have to admit that I only knew Andy Warhol from his iconic Campbell Soup Can paintings, and I was surprised to learn that he had other more eccentric and provocative works, such as the graphic car accident paintings, the suicide paintings, and the electric chair. These works show a darker and more complex side of Warhol, who was not only a master of pop art, but also a pioneer of social commentary and cultural criticism.

I find Andy Warhol to be a complex and very sad figure, who struggled with his identity, sexuality, and mortality. I feel such pity for him because he lived at a time when people were so close-minded that being gay was considered an atrocity. He had to hide his true self and his feelings from the public, and he suffered from loneliness, insecurity, and fear. He was also haunted by the trauma of being shot in 1968 by a radical feminist, which almost killed him and left him with physical and psychological scars.

I loved his vision and his foresight, as he seemed to predict the future of art, media, and celebrity. He famously said, “In the future, everybody will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.” Just like what TikTok and social media is today. He understood the power and the pitfalls of fame, and he explored them in his works and his lifestyle. He created his own persona and his own brand, and he influenced generations of artists and pop culture icons. I loved the association with the drag culture, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was one of the first drag queens of her time.

The words that stuck with me the most were when he said, “I don’t believe in death, because you’re not around to know that it’s happened. It struck me because he was so afraid to die and he was so afraid of contracting AIDS, which was a deadly epidemic at the time. He avoided going to the doctor and he refused to have sex. But as soon as he decided to have the surgery to remove his gall bladder, he died of complications. It’s like he knew that something like this would happen to him, and he was resigned to his fate.

So many people are in awe of his talents, but he could be one of the most pessimistic artists I have ever known. I can’t believe that he didn’t see himself as beyond excellent, but trivial and mediocre. He constantly doubted his abilities and his worth, and he compared himself to other artists. He said, “I’m not an artist. I’m a machine.” But I guess that’s just his way of downplaying his achievements and his impact.

I feel sad that he wasn’t able to show more of his true self and his true art, because he was so confined by the expectations and the prejudices of the society. He thought that his gayness would overshadow his art, and that people wouldn’t be able to look past that. He said, “Being born is like being kidnapped. And then sold into slavery.” He felt trapped and oppressed by his circumstances, and he longed for freedom and acceptance.

Overall, I love that the documentary was able to show Andy’s vulnerability and capacity to love, despite his hardships and his cynicism. He had a soft spot for his family, his friends, his pets, and his lovers. He had a sense of humor, a sense of curiosity, and a sense of wonder. He had a passion for art, for beauty, and for life. He was a human being, not a machine. He was a genius, not a mediocrity. He was Andy Warhol, and he changed the world. I hope that this documentary will inspire young artists to embrace their identity and their creativity, and to know that it’s ok to be gay.