Danto's Final Monograph on Warhol Published by Yale University Press

Richard Shusterman reviews Arthur C. Danto's book "Andy Warhol," published by Yale University Press as part of a series on American cultural icons. The monograph revisits Warhol's life and work, which had long influenced Danto's philosophy. Danto's encounter with Warhol's Brillo Boxes in 1964 transformed his career and 20th-century aesthetics, leading to his theory that art cannot be defined solely by sensory properties but requires a theoretical context. The book covers Warhol's evolution from his 1961 Bonwit Teller window display to pop artist, celebrity, filmmaker, and commercial artist. Danto emphasizes Warhol's role as a cultural icon who democratized art through popular culture. Shusterman critiques Danto's religious and transcendental interpretation of art, arguing that Warhol's work brings art closer to life, commerce, and everyday objects. He notes Danto's use of religious metaphors despite his secular Jewish background. The final chapter discusses Warhol's Last Supper series and his sudden death. Shusterman, a philosopher and director of the Center for Body, Mind, and Culture at Florida Atlantic University, concludes by acknowledging Danto's inclusion of more earthly meanings in the monograph.