Photography News

Andy Warhol wearing the "Race Riot" silk-screen on a homemade sandwich board at the entrance to The Factory, NYC 1964 Copyright 2010 William John Kennedy

November 19, 2010 /PN/ American fine art photographer William John Kennedy’s exhibition of newly published silver gelatin prints of Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana debuts on Thursday, December 2 at the KIWI Gallery in Miami Beach, Florida. Believed to be the only such images in existence, these photographs capture the artists with their works, among them Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe and Indiana’s LOVE. After almost half a century in storage, a select number of the nearly forgotten images were carefully chosen, and are now being published for the first time as a collection.

Robert Indiana. Copyright 2010 William John Kennedy

The photographs, taken in the early 1960's at a time when Kennedy forged a friendship with both Indiana and Warhol, capture the two artists and their soon-to-be iconic works at the seminal point of their careers and birth of the Pop Art Movement. The collection includes rarely photographed art notables Marisol, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg, Mario Amaya, Dorothy Miller, Henry Geldzahler and Eleanor Ward.

A documentary film, 'Full Circle, Before They Were Famous', chronicling the images' journey from the days they were taken to the present, premieres at the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road, Friday, December 3, 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 4, 9 p.m. The documentary, full of personal anecdotes and remembrances by many of the principals of the story, includes appearances by Robert Indiana and Warhol Superstars Ultra Violet and Taylor Mead as they view their images for the first time. An LVP Production, the documentary was directed and edited by filmmaker Brian Bayerl. Ultra Violet will attend the world premiere.

William John Kennedy (Glen Cove 1930-) studied at Syracuse University, the School of Visual Arts, and Pratt Institute. In the 1950's, he worked as an assistant and studio manager for American fashion photographer, Clifford Coffin (1913-1972). Coffin, a contemporary with Penn and Avedon is arguably the greatest of Vogue's 'lost' fashion photographers. A top freelance editorial photographer in New York City, Kennedy’s work appeared in world-renowned publications including LIFE Magazine and Sports Illustrated. In the commercial arena he created national and international campaigns for corporate clients including Avon, GE, IBM, RJR Nabisco, American Express, and Xerox. Kennedy has continued his passion for fine art photography throughout the years developing a full body of work in the art form.

The KIWI Gallery (1680 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139) will open Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 9am. Fine art photographer William John Kennedy’s work will remain on exhibit at the gallery through January 15, 2011.