Silver, never Gold

Union Square has no lack of statues- in particular, one of Gandhi has pride of place, although one would never know he was there for all the activity around him.  In the past few weeks, they've propped up some sort of public art piece, a silver figure of the artist Andy Warhol.  Now, anyone who has even the slightest inkling of art (or maybe knows absolutely zilch about art) will have heard of him and probably recognize some of his work.  I myself used to look into his activity when I first started out, but I often found that his art (in various media) was not interesting but as a reflection of what art as culture can contribute to society.  Whether this is a positive thing or not in relation to Warhol (I do not say "Andy" as many people do, as I do not feign familiarity with him) is another matter entirely.  That topic is best discussed at a later date, but I do leave you with the fact that those who seem to feel that they are following in his footsteps do so only on the surface- with none of the aura and all of the commercialism.

In reading about Ai Weiwei, I was surprised to learn that there was one book that he read and liked in his time in New York.- The Philosophy of Andy Warhol.  So, I picked it up- in all its non philosophical flatness.  After perusing a few pages, I remembered that I had read it before (and promptly forgotten it).  My partner said the same thing.   Philosophy, indeed. Now, if ever Mr. Ai is released, I would like to ask him whatever did he find so interesting about the book.

Although I will have to offer the following statement of his: "They say that time changes things, but actually you have to change them yourself,"