Andy Warhol Looks a Scream

The Andy Warhol season continued in my apartment last night, where I Shot Andy Warhol was screened. The audience consisted of one person, who happened to live in the apartment and had seen the film before. Although there was no sign of The Velvet Underground or Nico, proceedings were livened up by Stephen Dorff playing Candy Darling and a nostalgic 90s-style soundtrack put together by John Cale.

Despite Valerie Solanas hating Warhol and almost killing him, they were more alike than they realized. Both of them were obsessive types who didn't deviate from what they aspired; both exploited the people around them either to survive (Valerie's case) or to get what they wanted (Warhol's case). Is there someone equivalent to Warhol alive today? Is there a Factory in London, where you can wander in and immediately become part of art history?

Everyone alive and vibrant in the 60s was dead or irrelevant by the end of the 80s.

The male is completely egocentric, trapped inside himself, incapable of empathizing or identifying with others, or love, friendship, affection of tenderness. He is a completely isolated unit, incapable of rapport with anyone. His responses are entirely visceral, not cerebral; his intelligence is a mere tool in the services of his drives and needs; he is incapable of mental passion, mental interaction; he can't relate to anything other than his own physical sensations. He is a half-dead, unresponsive lump, incapable of giving or receiving pleasure or happiness; consequently, he is at best an utter bore, an inoffensive blob, since only those capable of absorption in others can be charming. He is trapped in a twilight zone halfway between humans and apes, and is far worse off than the apes because, unlike the apes, he is capable of a large array of negative feelings -- hate, jealousy, contempt, disgust, guilt, shame, doubt -- and moreover, he is aware of what he is and what he isn't.

From Valerie Solanas' S.C.U.M. manifesto

Ode to Candy Darling

I'll Be Your Mirror
by The Velvet Underground & Nico

I'll be your mirror
Reflect what you are, in case you don't know
I'll be the wind, the rain and the sunset
The light on your door to show that you're home

When you think the night has seen your mind
That inside you're twisted and unkind
Let me stand to show that you are blind
Please put down your hands
'Cause I see you

I find it hard to believe you don't know
The beauty you are
But if you don't, let me be your eyes
A hand in your darkness, so you won't be afraid

When you think the night has seen your mind
That inside you're twisted and unkind
Let me stand to show that you are blind
Please put down your hands
'Cause I see you

I'll be your mirror
(reflect what you are)