Warhol: Inside the Box

William John Kennedy’s rare and iconic photographs of Andy Warhol capture the chapter when the Pop Art pioneer changed the world - and the ongoing story behind these historic images is fittingly remarkable.

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For the first time, new exhibition Warhol: Inside the Box will share the full, extraordinary stories of these images, from their creation during the birth of the Pop Art Movement, to being lost and forgotten for half a century, the impact of their discovery, and the ongoing saga of the rare and sealed box sets with the remaining photographs. 

 

The William John Kennedy: the Warhol Museum Edition box sets are the first portfolio release in the history of the Warhol Museum and will be on show at the free exhibition at Bloomsbury’s opulent L’oscar London hotel on 18 March from 6-11pm. One guest at the event will also be gifted with a signed piece of history, in a unique draw.

 

The late Kennedy shot his friend Warhol from the early 60s, at the crucial moment when the iconic artist's career was just launching, and this rare body of images has become the most recognised and important collection of Warhol photographs ever discovered. They are believed to be the only images in existence capturing Warhol with some of his most celebrated works.

 

Remarkably, the negatives were stored in a box, gathering dust for nearly five decades - and almost thrown away - until Kennedy rediscovered them. 

 

He worked with KIWI Arts Group and The Andy Warhol Museum to introduce them to the world in 2012, with a star-studded event at the former Versace Mansion (Villa by Barton G) where 50 Limited Edition Warhol Museum box sets were unveiled. 

 

Each handmade, archival aluminium box contained five, signed and numbered photographs of Andy Warhol, taken just before the Silver Factory era, along with a foreword by Warhol Museum director, Eric. C. Shiner, introduction, and five essays.

 

During the launch event, 38 of these coveted box sets were sold, and the remaining 12 were bought for £40k each by private collector Neil Bookatz, which is where the latest chapter of the story begins.

Neil launched the private gallery, The Warhol Kennedy Residence on The Strand in 2018 to share Kennedy’s remarkable legacy and images, selling seven of the remaining box sets on the secondary market for up to £100k each, and using them to raise more than £120k for children’s charities.

 

Box No. 16 was unsealed at a prestigious British Museum screening of the hit, Full Circle: Before They Were Famous documentary, charting the story of the images, including interviews with Kennedy, Warhol Superstars Taylor Mead, Ultra Violet and Love artist Robert Indiana, who helped lead the Pop Art movement.

 

Afterwards, Neil stowed the box set behind a curtain for safekeeping, and returned the following morning to collect it, only to discover the British Museum was closed because of a security threat, caused by the mysterious package.

 

There are now just five sets left in the world, exclusively available for £100k each from the Warhol Kennedy Residence, and four of the sealed sets will be opened for the first time by their buyers. 

 

The final box will be auctioned by the Warhol Kennedy Residence and KIWI Arts Group at Christie's for at least £250k, with half of the proceeds going to the Warhol Museum.

 

The box set images include the iconic moment Warhol posed with an unrolled acetate of Marilyn at the Factory; the Pop Art legend wearing his Self Portrait on a homemade sandwich board; and holding a bouquet in a field of Black Eyed Susans flowers, with an early Flowers canvas. 

 

He is also captured looking through a removed panel from The American Man Portrait of Watson Powell Sr; and wearing his Birmingham Race Riot artwork on a sandwich board at the Factory.

 

Warhol’s identity was shrouded in mystery, behind his wig and glasses. But the images in these rare box sets give a unique and important insight into the icon and that extraordinary time, before he achieved his 15 minutes - and counting - of fame and a pivotal moment in art history.

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The public can register to attend Warhol: Inside The Box by emailing lovelondongallery@gmail.com