“I’m not ashamed”: the erotic art Madonna once received from Andy Warhol
Madonna and Andy Warhol are two names that evoke similar visceral connotations. As pioneers in their respective spaces, both have crafted monumental reputations in the realm of visual art while enabling and nurturing a giant community. It was only a matter of time until their paths crossed, which happened during a transformative period in the 1980s.
Whichever side of the coin you sit on, it’s safe to say that the world of pop wouldn’t be the way it is today without Madonna. Although she grew up listening to female rock icons like Debbie Harry, her true calling became clear when she gravitated towards the post-disco dance scene, realising a new strand of artistic expression. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she was destined to be an overnight success, as proven by the instant popularity of her debut in 1983.
During this time, the singer’s distinctive style and somewhat kitsch approach catapulted her to global fame, whose desire to break the mould and push boundaries earned her the respect and admiration of many esteemed figures beyond just the world of music. One such figure was Warhol, who was friends with another of Madonna’s at the time, Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Madonna had a handful of friends who were graffiti artists, but it was Basquiat who led her to Warhol, who in-turn noticed an instant connection with the singer. It makes complete sense as to why, especially considering the fact that Warhol was captivated by the energy and potential of the burgeoning new wave and pop movements, while Madonna was drawn to the avant-garde nature of Warhol’s work and his status as a cultural provocateur.
Warhol saw something in Madonna that not many did: a unique camaraderie that made him feel some sort of protectiveness, even among other heroes. “I remember we were all at a Japanese restaurant on Second Avenue and Seventh Street, where Keith [Haring] had done a bunch of drawings on the walls, and Jean-Michel was telling me how jealous he was of me being on the radio,” Madonna recalled during an interview with Rolling Stone. “Because he thought that I had a more accessible form of art and more people would be exposed to it. Andy told him to stop complaining.”
Warhol saw a lot in Madonna in the early stages, even once predicting her to be en route to becoming the biggest star in the world. As someone who learned a lot from the artist, Haring also gifted her a jacket that became iconic for her in the years that followed. However, not much compares to the artistic gifts Warhol gave to her himself, some of which were wedding gifts.
“Keith and Andy did four pieces for me as a wedding present when I married Sean [Penn],” she once revealed. “They’re pictures of me from the cover of The New York Post when all the nude photographs of me came out in Playboy and Penthouse. The headline says, ‘I’m Not Ashamed’. So they took all these Post covers and painted over them.”
Those paintings and Haring’s jacket are cherished items she vows never to give away, especially as they represented such a pivotal moment in her career, during which she simultaneously experienced a breakthrough and learned more about herself as a musical artist.
