photo courtesy of Abby Warhola
Andy’s Toy Box is an interactive exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum.

The Andy Warhol museum offers Point Park students free admission to the entire museum, as well as access to four special exhibitions that are currently available for a limited time.

The four public programs presently on display are Pearlstein, Warhol, Cantor: From Pittsburgh to New York, Glycerine and Rose Water, Exposures: Elizabeth A. Rudnick: Treasure/Trash and Andy’s Toybox.

“Pearlstein and Warhol took the same course work at Carnegie Tech before moving to New York City together to begin their careers in the 1950’s New York art world; Cantor followed one year later,” said Assistant Communications Manager Jessica Warchall. “The start of any artist’s career is a crucial time period for them.”

Warhol studied at Carnegie Tech, now Carnegie Mellon University, alongside Philip Pearlstein and Dorothy Cantor. The artists grew up in Pittsburgh through the Great Depression and World War II. After college, the three moved to New York City to pursue their artistic careers. Warhol and Pearlstein became roommates in New York. Cantor, who eventually married Pearlstein, was one year behind. 

This is the first exhibition Pearlstein, Cantor and Warhol have collaborated on. From Pittsburgh to New York showcases this important time period of the young artists.

“What I like about this part of the exhibition is getting people from Warhol’s past and seeing how it has influenced his career,” said Cecilia Klein, a gallery attendant at the Andy Warhol museum. 

Pearlstein was a figurative painter, while Warhol was a pop artist. Klein said she loves seeing how different the artists’ styles are and how their work has effected each other.

From Pittsburgh to New York is showcasing a brand new series from Pearlstein. These most-recent paintings have never before been exhibited and will remain in the Andy Warhol museum until Sept. 6.

“Pearlstein finished painting his most recent series, the three-painting series in the exhibition, this spring,” Warchall said.

Glycerine and Rose Water displays the work of artist Stefan Hoffmann. Hoffman is an artist who creates vertical silkscreen printings. The prints are covering the museum’s entrance windows and doorways. 

“Like Warhol, Hoffmann appropriates everyday imagery as source material for his work, challenging audiences to critically reflect on our shared visual culture,” Warchall said.

Hoffmann’s work has installations worldwide including a contemporary art center in Tokyo, a local cafe in the United Kingdom and a gymnasium in Rankin, Pennsylvania. In the past his work has been exhibited in Quebec City, Shanghai and Amsterdam.

Glycerine and Rose Water will be on display at the Andy Warhol museum until October 4.

Exposures: Elizabeth A. Rudnick: Treasure/Trash represents another local artist. Rudnick was born in Denmark in 1989, but now lives and works in the Pittsburgh area. 

“The Warhol’s Assistant Curator Jessica Beck saw Rudnick’s exhibitions at The Mine Factory and The Lawrence Hall Gallery these past two years, and thought her work would fit well within the context of the museum and the exhibition series,” Warchall said.

Rudnick was originally inspired by Warhol’s window displays in Pittsburgh at Horne’s Department Store and New York City’s Bonwit Teller. Recently, Rudnick was inspired by prints in the Andy’s Toybox exhibition, which is why her work is now seen alongside Warhol’s. Her exhibition will remain in the museum until September 13.

Andy’s Toybox adds contrast to his mature work. Warhol created this exhibit because of his love for children, as well as being able to express his playful nature.

“Andy’s toy box is really cool. The kids really seem to gravitate towards that room since [the museum is] a lot of adult art,” said Sydney Koffler, Point Park graduate and gallery attendant.

These paintings, prints and photographs consist of material from the late 1970s and 1980s. Andy’s Toybox represents children through sports, toys, make-believe and the concept of playing dress-up. This exhibition is interactive, allowing patrons to dress up and pose for photographs, build castles, race cars and play in Andy’s toy box. This exhibition will remain in the museum until Dec. 6.

The Andy Warhol museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays.