The Andy Warhol Screen Test

dj nasty

I remember, as a young film student, reading about Andy Warhol and his infamous screen tests filmed from early ’64 through late ’66. Where I have been heavily influenced as a painter by Warhol, I generally didn’t understand a lot of his films – his directing “style” (which was “let the camera roll”) or his editing – which was nonexistent.

But after revisiting his “Screen Tests” I realized that they were portraits, portraits done on film rather than on canvas.

It’s amazing how differently each subject ‘handles’ their time in front of the camera. Nico seems a bit distracted, perhaps sort of self-conscious, while Lou Reed is the epitome of cool indifference. And my favorite, Edie Sedgwick is such a damaged, beautiful muse.