This month, we visited the Andy Warhol: My True Story exhibition at Newlands House Gallery in Petworth - a compelling exploration of Warhol’s private and public personas, enhanced by never-before-seen drawings, films, photographs, recordings, alongside a thread of contemporary artistic homage throughout.
What makes this show especially thrilling for us at Enter Gallery is the inclusion of two of our artists - Gavin Turk and Philip Colbert, whose works reflect the lingering power of Warhol’s cultural legacy.
Gavin Turk’s Warholian Self-Portraits
Inside the gallery's intimate townhouse setting, Gavin Turk’s self-portraits stand boldly amid the archival material. One image echoes Warhol’s ‘Fright Wig’ series, the other channels the energy of his sensational pop‑culture Elvis silkscreens.
Turk’s approach of constructing alternate identities through his own likeness delves into the fundamental pop‑art question of authorship versus authenticity. As a pioneer of the Young British Artists (YBAs) Turk subverts the cult of celebrity that Warhol magnified, while paying tribute to its bold aesthetics and conceptual roots.
Philip Colbert’s Lobster Soup Sculpture
Both inside and outside the exhibition, Philip Colbert’s Lobster Soup sculpture bubbles with colour and wit. The piece nods to Warhol’s iconic consumerist imagery and evoking everyday commodities such as soup cans into high art, while injecting Colbert’s surreal, playful twist. His lobster-ladle hybrid becomes both object and symbol, reflecting a consumer-culture critique with a distinctly Colbertian flair.
Connecting Past & Present
The genius of Andy Warhol: My True Story lies in how it places Warhol’s intimate drawings, films and recordings alongside contemporary responses from artists like Gavin Turk and Philip Colbert.
In this setting, we see how enduring themes of identity, consumerism and celebrity continue to resonate. Jean Wainwright’s curation reveals both the private Warhol and his lasting cultural influence, as today’s artists engage with his visual language - not through imitation, but through fresh transformation.
Andy Warhol: My True Story is now on until 14th September 2025 at Newlands House Gallery.
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