The Death of Andy Warhol - Feb 22, 1987

Andy Warhol was afraid of doctors. He didn't trust them or like hospitals. Consequently when he entered New York Hospital in February 1987 for a routine gallbladder operation he did so reluctantly. And wouldn't you know it, his worst fears were realized. After a successful surgery he developed a sudden cardiac arrhythmia while recuperating and died in his sleep on Feb 22 1987. It was a strange event in that most people didn't know what to make of Andy Warhol while he was alive let alone how to react to news of his death. He seemed little more than that aloof celebrity hound always ready with a glib response to questions about his work, but on the other hand he seemed to help bring art back from the abyss of non-figurativism which had left so many members of the public out in the cultural cold. And he was famous, which by the 80s had become more important in and of itself to most people than what someone was actually famous FOR - a phenomenon promoted and in some ways invented by Warhol himself.

Regardless of what others thought of him though Andy was always looking forward and with his will he directed that the bulk of his estate go to fund the creation of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Since its inception the foundation has funded thousands of artists and art projects through direct grants. The Andy Warhol museum was also founded in his native Pittsburgh.

The Warhol Museum - Pittsburgh