Jewel in the Park

Honoring its mission to “transform lives through the power of art,” the Brooks Museum of Art, in Overton Park in midtown Memphis, is hosting The Prints of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again — an exhibit that’s traveling to museums worldwide — through September 7. Organized by the Andy Warhol Museum, the exhibit showcases a generous selection of the pop artist’s most identifiable pieces, including six prints from his iconic Campbell’s Soup series, portraits from the Jacqueline Kennedy series, and prints of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. In all, 63 screen prints and five paintings — including some lesser-known works, such as pieces from Warhol’s 1980s Camouflage series — are on display.

Several of the selections highlight Warhol’s fascination with mass production. “Visitors will really understand Warhol’s concept of multiples and get a good sense of how he worked and experimented with them,” explains Marina Pacini, chief curator of the Brooks Museum.

Recognized as one of the most dynamic spaces in Memphis, the Brooks itself forms a unique link between the city’s past and present. Overlooking the historic park where Elvis Presley performed his first paid concert, the museum consists of two complementary structures: an original 1916 Beaux Arts–style building and a more modern addition completed in 1989. The original building, which houses a portion of the permanent collection, has undergone some interesting remodeling.

“The original men’s restrooms have been converted into a gallery that now houses the museum’s medieval treasury, and the space used to display artists’ books was once the ladies’ powder room,” Pacini says.

— Kalyn Belsha

The Prints of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again will travel to the San Jose Museum of Art in spring 2009.