AW

If Andy Warhol were still alive, he'd turn 91 today.  He died in 1987 at the age of 58 from an irregular heartbeat while recovering from gallbladder surgery.  I've heard this was due to continuing complications from when he was shot in 1968.

Warhol was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century.  It may not seem to matter how famous an artist is, but Warhol's celebrity was closely tied to his artwork.  While he took some time to establish himself, once he had, the rich and famous sought him out, and in his later years he did many portraits for patrons.

Warhol was a prime exponent of Pop Art, which emphasized images from mass culture.  Thus, he became known for his representations of Coca Cola, Campbell's Soup, Brillo Pads and celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

Throughout his career he was criticized as a mere commercial artist of limited talent, but his stuff sells for millions today, so he must have done something right.  If he did nothing but make us look at our culture differently, he made a contribution.

Warhol famously wrote that in the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.  This has been interpreted in various ways, but one thing is sure--Warhol surpassed that.