Modern Contemporary Museum (Moco Museum) Amsterdam

Andy Warhol and Banksy

The Modern Contemporary Museum created by Lionel and Kim Logchies presented 50 different works from pop artist Andy Warhol and his show: Royalty. Alongside the British street artist Banksy with his unauthorized show: Laugh Now.

This exhibition provides the space needed to show the impact of these artists in a very softening way. The works complement each other in their surroundings of this old townhouse building, with the large windows creating natural light flooding onto the works outlining beautiful shadows from the trees outside.

A clear connection can be made between the works, the bright and vibrant colour pallets used in Warhol’s screen prints and paintings are also visible within Banksy’s work. Both use political and unspoken topics for the inspiration of their works, giving them much more impact. When viewing the two artists so closely together the idea can be questioned as to whether Warhol could have inspired Banksy’s work. And maybe, therefore, the two were put together, suggesting the differences and similarities between contemporary and modern art. Some of Banksy’s pieces occupy a whole wall space within the museum, and even a whole outside room was used to show one of his installations.

When observing the works ‘Campbell’s soup II’ by Andy Warhol with Banksy’s ‘soup can’ pieces, both exhibited within this show. You can clearly make a distinction between the two works in how similar they are. How Warhol’s painting of a typical soup can in his day and time, to the irony of Banksy’s soup can which is Tesco value. Maybe suggesting the idea that most people today can only afford Tesco value. These similarities are highly suggested throughout the show between each artists work.

Banksy- Flower Bomber                                            Andy Warhol- Love (1983)