Warhol Series Unveiled Today by Union Station for a Limited Run Within POMPEII: The Exhibition
Series by famed American artist on loan from prestigious Bank of America Collection.
KANSAS CITY, MO — Today, leaders from Union Station and Bank of America unveiled a series of art pieces by famed American artist, Andy Warhol, depicting Mt. Vesuvius, the ancient volcano that erupted in 79 AD, burying the city of Pompeii and preserving it for nearly two thousand years. On a special, limited loan from the prestigious Bank of America Collection, the series of three original trial proofs will be on display through March 27th at Union Station within POMPEII: The Exhibition.
During the first 8 weeks of opening this world-class exhibition, a remarkable 50,000 visitors have experienced the story of the lost city of Pompeii . . . an ancient roman resort town and sea port that continues to generate overwhelming public intrigue more than 1,900 years after it was literally frozen in time.
“Bank of America is delighted not only to be the presenting sponsor of POMPEII: The Exhibition, but also to enhance the experience for visitors by sharing the Warhol Vesuvius prints on loan from the Bank of America collection,” said Gary Jankowitz, Bank of America Kansas City market president. “The Warhol works bring with them a modern artistic interpretation of one of the greatest natural disasters and human tragedies the world has known, while helping preserve an important era in both modern and ancient art history.”
The series will be displayed within the Pompeii exhibition in a special gallery, entitled Vesuvius by Andy Warhol. The addition of these rare pieces will offer an enhanced experience for visitors and serve as evidence of the timeless interest in the human drama and tragedy of Pompeii. Warhol’s pieces also create the opportunity for special programming surrounding the exhibition. Details regarding these additional special events will be announced soon. As well, Union Station will extend Friday evening hours to 8:00 pm starting February 3rd thru March 24th to accommodate additional programming and anticipated attendance.
“Andy Warhol was and remains a cultural icon,” George Guastello, president and CEO Union Station, said. “His bigger-than-life persona juxtaposed with his iconic Vesuvius series tells a compelling story and we’re thrilled to add these works – even for a brief time – to our Pompeii exhibition. Bank of America, thru their Presenting Sponsorship of Pompeii: The Exhibition and now the Warhol loan, is offering all of Kansas City a very unique opportunity to experience history, human drama and inspired creativity in a way rarely presented. We expect the local response to this exceptional experience to be significant.”
Prompted by the Irpinia earthquake that devastated Naples in 1980, Warhol was commissioned in 1985 to create the Vesuvius series, which in total included 250 large screen prints on canvas. His final works were part of a larger collection, entitled Terrae Motus (“earthquake” in Italian) that also included pieces by other great artists of the 1970’s including Richard Long and Robert Mapplethorp. Warhol’s body of work for the project included fifty artist proofs, and an edition of fifty-seven trial proofs, from which these three Bank of America pieces come. Warhol had a great love of Naples and actually lived near Vesuvius while working on the project. While widely known for his elevation of pop culture icons, Warhol was also noted for exploring darker topics, in particular his series Death and Disaster, which depicted race riots, car crashes, suicides and nuclear explosions. Perhaps that is yet another reason why he was drawn to the project, which was among his last as the artist died in 1987 at the age of 59, just a little more than a year after the installation.
POMPEII: The Exhibition – presented by Bank of America — made its North American debut on November 19, 2016 when it opened to the public in Union Station’s Bank of America Gallery. The exhibition features nearly 200 precious artifacts on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy, 10 of which have never been on display in the United States. Some of the most breathtaking are the vibrant frescoes, detailed mosaics and lifelike statues. Although the catastrophe buried the city and killed many of its citizens, buildings, household items and works of art were preserved for centuries, giving the world one of the very few original and largely intact sources regarding roman-era ancient painting, decoration and daily life.
Visitors to POMPEII: The Exhibition will NOT pay an increased ticket price in order to view the Warhol collection. General Admission ticket prices are $19.95* for adults, $15.95* for children 3-12. School Group pricing is $9.95*. Groups of 15 or more are priced at $12.95*. Advance ticket reservations are recommended by visiting WWW.UNIONSTATION.ORG/POMPEII or the Union Station Box Office. For more information about Group visits or how to become a Union Station Member, please call 816-460-2020 or visit UnionStation.org. (*Does not include $1 Preservation Fee)
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About Union Station Kansas City, Inc.
Union Station Kansas City — a 501(c)3 non-profit organization — is a 100-year-old historical landmark and celebrated civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999. The organization — dedicated to science education, celebration of community and preservation of history — is home to Kansas City’s Science Center; the popular Model Railroad Experience; the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium; the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre, H&R Block City Stage featuring live theater, and a selection of unique shops and restaurants. Union Station is also home to prominent area civic organizations and businesses, and regularly hosts world-class traveling exhibitions. Awarded “Top Banquet Facilities in KC” by KC Business Journal, the facility regularly hosts community events and private celebrations of all sizes. Visit www.unionstation.org for details. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
For Immediate Release
January 27, 2017
Union Station Contact: Michael Tritt
C: 913.219.6890 [email protected]
Media Contact: Nancy Besa
C: 816.674.4775 [email protected]
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