Warhol Women | Jane Holzer

How did someone become a Warhol “Superstar”? If there was a formula, hanging out with the artist and being asked to appear in his work was an important part of it. Ultimately though, Warhol himself decided who the Warhol Superstars were. [1]

Described by Vogue editor Diana Vreeland as “the most contemporary girl I know,” [2] Jane Holzer went from modeling jobs in Europe to becoming Warhol’s first Superstar in New York. Despite the apparent glamor of a modelling career, by the time she was introduced to Warhol, Holzer viewed herself as “a Park Avenue housewife.” [3] Recounting the story of the first time she met the artist in the early 1960s, Holzer told NPR, “’The first thing Andy said was: ‘Do you want to be in the movies?’ […] And my thoughts were, ‘Well it beats the s – – – out of shopping at Bloomingdales every day.'” [4]

In February of 1975, Warhol took approximately 40 Polaroids of Holzer, selecting two of the photographs. From these, he made Holzer a total of four portraits. In lieu of cash, Holzer paid the artist by giving him a painted, Federal-style bedstead (ca. 1800) that had been in her house in Southampton. [5]

In honor of our exhibition Warhol Women, we’re sharing some of the stories behind the artist’s iconic portraits. Visit the Happenings page each week to read more!

Notes:

[1] Kynaston McShine, “Introduction,” Andy Warhol A Retrospective (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1989) exhibition catalog, 19.
[2] Jacki Lyden, “’Baby Jane’ Holzer’s Flight from High Society to Warhol Superstar,” The Seams (Special Series), NPR, March 15, 2014, https://www.npr.org/2014/03/15/290234274/baby-jane-holzers-flight-from-high-society-to-warhol-superstar.
[3] Pilar Viladas, “Jane’s Addiction,” T Magazine, The New York Times, February 24, 2008, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/style/tmagazine/24holzer1.html.
[4] Jacki Lyden, “’Baby Jane’ Holzer’s Flight from High Society to Warhol Superstar,” The Seams (Special Series), NPR, March 15, 2014, https://www.npr.org/2014/03/15/290234274/baby-jane-holzers-flight-from-high-society-to-warhol-superstar.
[5] Georg Frei, Neil Printz, and Sally King-Nero, eds. The Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonné, Warhol 04 Paintings and Sculpture late 1974-1976 (New York; London: Phaidon, 2014), 264.