One of the most iconic figures of the Retro Era, Andy Warhol continues to be alive through his unique quirky oeuvre that remains extremely recognizable in the popular mass culture of the 21st century Born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, in 1928, the artist started studying at the Carnegie Institute of Technology after initial schooling Majoring in Pictorial Design, Warhol became highly influenced by the works of German Bauhaus artists He was also inspired by Swiss-German painter Paul Klee and also encountered works by important conceptual artists, including Marcel Duchamp

After graduating in 1949, Andy Warhol moved to New York to make a mark for himself Frequently visiting the offices of famous art directors in the great city, he soon got a break when the art editor of Glamour fashion magazine commissioned him to do a series of illustrations This endeavour was successful, and soon he had several other offers from top art, culture, and fashion houses for his highly characteristic illustrations The decades of the 1950s were dotted with achievements for the artist One of his works featured a full-page advertisement for a radio show, and he also created his first drawing for television In his first exhibition at Hugo Gallery in 1952, the artist showcased a group of fifteen drawings inspired by the writings of American novelist Truman Capote In 1956, he was conferred with Directors Club Award for Distinctive Merit for his series of advertisements for the I Miller Shoe Store that appeared in NYT

After visiting an exhibition of paintings of American flags by Jasper John, Andy Warhol was overcome with a desire to abandon his commercial art practice to become a fine artist He initially struggled with finding a style that would make people take notice, but eventually hit the jackpot after a friend advised him to create imagery that would resonate with contemporary mass culture Beginning with objects such as television sets and C