David McCabe: Warhol’s Muse at Proud Camden

Proud Camden presents an iconic photographic retrospective of Andy Warhol and his muse Edie Sedgwick during the Factory years in New York. The exhibition primarily follows Warhol and his entourage from 1964 to the spring of 1965, a time when David McCabe joined Warhol and his pack of creative bright young things at the Factory.

The collection not only displays colossal portraits of the pop art king and his muse, it captures behind the scenes goings on at the Factory, on the sets of films such as Kitchen and some rather sentimental photographs with a holiday snapshot feel to them, the kind that could be posted on Instagram today.

An interesting contrast is made between photographs of Warhol and Sedgwick appearing at times to be on top of the world and living in the moment, with Warhol hard at work on his Flowers paintings whilst Sedgwick dances playfully in the background. One particularly touching photograph, Flashbulbs pop as Edie Sedgwick, Andy, Chuck Wein and Gerard Malanga board the plane to Paris, New York City, May 1965, sees Sedgwick grinning like a Cheshire cat and Warhol pulling a funny face – one can only imagine McCabe shouting out “cheese!” and the roar of laughter moments later.  

Though not organised chronologically, the series takes the viewer through the various stages of Warhol and Sedgwick’s relationship both professionally and through their personal ups and downs. Not only do McCabe’s photographs capture a pivotal moment in the history of pop art, they document moments in a turbulent relationship between Warhol and Sedgwick, and her rise to fame from private muse to pop star.

Nastassja Smart

Warhol’s Muse by David McCabe is at Proud Camden until 2^nd February 2013. For further information visit the venue’s website here.

For further information about David McCabe visit here.