In early fall of 1963, Warhol set out on his first trip to Los Angeles for the opening of a new show at the Ferus Gallery, which was becoming the West Coast home of Pop Art.
Accompanying Warhol on his trip were his studio assistant, Gerard Malanga, bohemian Wynn Chamberlain, and the free-spirited actor and misfit Taylor Mead. The group sped across the country, soaking in the prevalent billboards, neon, and imagery that Warhol and his artist contemporaries had been infusing into their Pop Art works.
In LA, they were received by actors Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward, who welcomed the group with a star-studded party at their Pop Art-festooned house. The group also attended art openings, including one for Claes Oldenberg, and one for Warhol’s hero, Marcel Duchamp. Warhol takes the time to further his filmmaking practice by shooting his first narrative film, Tarzan and Jane Regained… Sort of, which stars the wiry Mead as the unlikely titular character.
Andy at the Ferus chronicles Warhol’s travels and activities during the artist’s trip through the quintessentially Pop landscape of Los Angeles. Mark Rozzo discusses Pop Art in Los Angeles and the community of artists and galleries that were developing there. Grace Marston takes a look at Warhol’s developing film experiments, documenting the events of his trip over a half-dozen reels of “home movies.” Finally, Bruce Jenkins profiles the impish Taylor Mead and discusses the actor’s contributions to Tarzan and Jane Regained… Sort of.