Currently on display at The Art Institute of Chicago is an photograph of Andy Warhol showing his wounds after an assassination attempt in 1968. The photograph, taken by Richard Avedon in 1969, tells the story of the night Valerie Jean Solans staked out Warhol and his friends in the lobby of The Factory and fired three shots into the artist. She then short art critic Mario Amaya and tried to shoot Warhol’s manager, Fred Hughes, but her gun jammed. She escaped via an elevator that arrived shortly after she went on her shooting spree.
Warhol suffered nearly fatal injuries, of which he had to wear a corset for the rest of his life to prevent the injury from worsening. The artist said his wound would occasionally bleed after overexertion.
Photo by Richard Avedon. Gelatin silver print, edition 2/50. 24 x 18.7 cm. Gift of Robert A. Taub, 2011.811.
