In her own words, Daniela Morera describes her close relationship with Andy Warhol that spanned decades around the world:
In "Unseen Warhol” by John O’ Connor and Benjamin Liu, one of the many books about Andy Warhol, I am Daniela Morera “The European Editor on Andy’s Persona”.
But actually, I was raised in Rome before I came to New York as a model and I met Andy at Max Kansas City, I think it was 1970. That was the beginning of his confrontation with the world after he was shot in 1968 risking his life, I always say that he was not shot: he was actually killed, but he survived.
He asked me to visit him at the office, of course I went, and he told me that he wanted me to write for Interview Magazine from Roma. I replied: Andy I walk for fashion shows I don’t know how to write, let me show you how I walk. His answer: exactly the way you talk, don’t touch anything, and bring it to us next time. It’s obvious that I was living in both sides of the Atlantic.I became the Italian correspondent and later the European Editor of Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine, for about 20 years, and at the same time the New York correspondent for 5 Italian Condé Nast Magazines including Italian Vogue and L’Uomo Vogue and 2 Japanese publications and art director, art curator including The Andy Warhol Show at La Triennale in Milano 2004 (catalogue Skira). Andy didn’t talk too much but I found all of him interesting: his wig, his silences, his unusual appearance, his knapsack, I adored his voice and hands, his trivial embarrassing questions.
Andy Warhol's Studio, The last day of 860 Broadway, January 1985. Photo: Self-Timer by Daniela Morera Andy was enchanted by Roma, the incredible parties in the Palazzos with the Princesses, the movie stars, the handsome guys at Fregene beach, he wanted to know everything about them while he was asking me: do you have to go to bed with all of them?
Ah ah ah!
And we were there with Sofia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Paulette Goddard, and he was saying that he had the intention to marry her because she had the most beautiful rubies. The scene was a fairy tale.And afterwards was Studio 54 time, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, where for the first time I saw him touching boys and lips. Andy was always a workaholic, generous with his incessant autographs, I always respected him deeply, he was so delicate, so fragile. Many times, as different voices said, he was a bitch, but that’s the way I saw him. He has always been very sweet with me.
The first time I posed for Andy’s polaroid for my portrait was at 860 Broadway and the second one 22 East 33rd Street.
Daniela Morera, photo by Andy Warhol He wanted to do another portrait, so I said: let’s do something different "my body" a la Ingres or Matisse, Man Ray? I don’t want another portrait. I’m not so vain like many other women that cover their walls with their portraits. I have already many. He didn’t know how to reply, and he said I don’t think so. I insisted a little, showing different poses and he said it’s a good idea. He used his own hands, sweet Andy, to put the white powder all over my back, his assistant Benjamin was buying it in Chinatown. The result is history.
Andy’s The Last Supper, after Leonardo da Vinci, was inaugurated in Milano in ex-convent across the street from the church Santa Maria delle Grazie where Leonardo da Vinci painted Il Cenacolo in 1400. (I am in the Netflix Andy Warhol Diaries not talking about social life or gossip but his suffering, his pain). It was an enormous success. People came from all over Italy and Europe. Andy was ill, exhausted but until last minute signing everything including ties, jeans, plastic glasses, human skin. The Last Supper was the last show of his life, about one month before he passed away. I was in New York on February 22, 1987, it was late morning, and I was still in bed, I dialed Andy’s home number. I wanted to ask how he was feeling, Vincent Fremont replied and said: I can’t talk, but put the TV on. I saw on the screen Andy’s face and the running words AW died this morning at 6am. I fainted on my bed.
Andy is always in my heart
❤️ ANDY IS FOREVERProvenance
Gifted by the artist to the present owner
Exhibited
Milan, La Triennale di Milano, The Andy Warhol Show, September 22, 2004–January 8, 2005, p. 27 (illustrated)
Literature
Georg Frei and Neil Printz, eds., The Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, 1976–1978, Vol. 5B, London, 2018, no. 3870, pp. 55, 339 (illustrated, p. 55)
Artist Biography
Andy Warhol
American • 1928 - 1987
Andy Warhol was the leading exponent of the Pop Art movement in the U.S. in the 1960s. Following an early career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol achieved fame with his revolutionary series of silkscreened prints and paintings of familiar objects, such as Campbell's soup tins, and celebrities, such as Marilyn Monroe. Obsessed with popular culture, celebrity and advertising, Warhol created his slick, seemingly mass-produced images of everyday subject matter from his famed Factory studio in New York City. His use of mechanical methods of reproduction, notably the commercial technique of silk screening, wholly revolutionized art-making.
Working as an artist, but also director and producer, Warhol produced a number of avant-garde films in addition to managing the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground and founding Interview magazine. A central figure in the New York art scene until his untimely death in 1987, Warhol was notably also a mentor to such artists as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Property from the Collection of Daniela Morera
173
Torso
signed and dedicated "to daniella [sic] Andy Warhol" on the overlap
acrylic and silkscreen on canvas
14 1/4 x 11 in. (36.2 x 27.9 cm)
Executed in 1976–1977.
Estimate
$90,000 - 120,000
Sold for $113,400
Annie Dolan
Specialist, Head of Day Sale, Morning Session
+1 212 940 1288
adolan@phillips.com
20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Morning Session
New York Auction 16 November 2022
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