15 Minutes of Fame

You’ve probably heard the expression “15 minutes of fame.” Did you know that it became popular thanks to artist Andy Warhol, shown above? In the 1960s, he supposedly declared that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” And though many scholars now believe Warhol never actually said this, the phrase fits the Pop artist’s brand. 

The photo by David LaChapelle, above, is the last formal portrait of Warhol. LaChapelle moved to New York City when he was a teen, and, after a chance meeting, Warhol became his mentor. When LaChapelle took this luminous portrait of Warhol in 1987, he never imagined the dazzling work would be crucial to preserving the memory of this legendary artist, who was so interested in legacy. Artists, like Warhol and LaChapelle, have the power to forever preserve celebrities in time and sometimes even endow previously unknown people with a lasting fame. 

Fame facsinated Andy Warhol. Some people think that in the 1960s, Warhol said, “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” Today, many experts don’t think Warhol actually said this. But the message fits the artist’s ideas. 

American photographer David LaChapelle took this dazzling photo of Warhol, above, in 1986. It’s the last formal portrait of Warhol before he died. Since then, it has helped people remember him.

Artists have the power to preserve celebrities so that they remain famous. And sometimes, a portrait can be the reason someone becomes famous.

Elizabeth Peyton is an American contemporary artist. Her portraits often depict celebrities in imagined scenes that feel familiar—and real—to viewers. She intentionally selects subjects whose images are reproduced often in popular culture. In her 2000 Prince Harry and Prince William, above, Peyton tightly crops a scene showing the British royals as teenagers. They tilt their heads toward one another in a private moment. It’s likely that this exchange never happened and that Peyton invented the scene. But it’s easy enough to believe it could have happened, and therefore it feels real. 

Peyton says portraiture is about celebrating others. In her words, “Making art is making something live forever.” How does each of the artists whose work is shown here make his or her subjects immortal?

Elizabeth Peyton is an American artist. She likes to paint celebrities in scenes that didn’t really happen but feel familiar to viewers. 

Peyton painted Prince Harry and Prince William, above, in 2000. She shows the British royal brothers as teenagers. They tilt their heads toward one another, as if to share a secret. Peyton crops the scene so that the viewer focuses on the quiet moment. This exact scene may not have happened. But it’s easy to believe it could have, which makes it feel real. 

Peyton says portraits are about celebrating people. “Making art is making something live forever,” she says.