Martha Graham

Andy Warhol’s brother John recalls Warhol’s early desire to be a tap dancer. [1] While living in Pennsylvania in 1948, Warhol enrolled – as the only male, no less – in the Modern Dance Club at the Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon). [2] That summer, two of Warhol’s works – I Like Dance and Dance in Black and White – were chosen for a juried show for the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. [3] (The show tipped off dance club members to Warhol’s talent; as a result, he was relegated to graphic design for the group instead of actually dancing.) Once in New York, he applied for a job as a commercial illustrator at Dance Magazine in 1951. [4] He contributed several drawings, including two covers, to the publication. [5]

When Warhol moved to New York City at the end of the 1940s, New York was overflowing with musicians, dancers, and avant-garde performers. For decades, he was a devoted attendee at theatre performances, concerts, and counterculture events. Works spanning the 1950s to the 1980s reflect this immersion in arts and music. It is perhaps no wonder, then, that the enigmatic Warhol befriended fellow artist, dancer, and choreographer Martha Graham during this time.

Touted as both the “Mother” and the “Picasso” of Modern Dance, Graham and Warhol were long-time friends. He frequently attended her dance shows and fundraisers, and the pair was often seen in a group with Liza Minnelli and fashion designer Halston.

In addition to pencil drawings of Graham, Warhol created the Martha Graham suite in 1986, both to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company and to raise funds for her planned school of dance in Florence. The suite was comprised of three images: Lamentation, Letter to the World (The Kick), and Satyric Festival Song. Each image was based on a photograph taken by Barbara Morgan between 1935 and 1942 of the legendary Graham in motion.

According to Graham, “When I first met Andy, he confided to me that he was born in Pittsburgh as I was, and that when he first saw me dance ‘Appalachian Spring’ it touched him deeply. He touched me deeply as well. He was a gifted, strange maverick who crossed my life with great generosity. His last act was the gift of three portraits he donated to my company to help my company meet its financial needs.” [6]