David Cronenberg Curates Warhol Exhibition at AGO

Filmmaker David Cronenberg was invited by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) to curate and design the exhibition 'Andy Warhol / Supernova: Stars, Deaths, and Disasters, 1962-1964', on view from July 8 to October 22, 2006. Cronenberg, known for 'Videodrome', 'Naked Lunch', and 'Crash', discusses his approach in an interview. The exhibition focuses on Warhol's transition from traditional painting to mechanical reproduction between 1962 and 1964, linking celebrity portraits (Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy) with disaster imagery (electric chairs, car crashes). Cronenberg integrated films into the gallery space rather than isolating them, reflecting Warhol's practice of projecting films on walls at the Factory. An audio guide features Dennis Hopper, Velvet Underground recordings, and Elvis Presley's 'Flaming Star'. Cronenberg cites shared influences like James Dean's death and the New York underground scene, but notes his own lack of fascination with celebrity compared to Warhol. The exhibition includes works such as 'Silver Elvis', 'Troy Diptych', and the triptych 'Kiss', 'Electric Chair', and 'Blow Job'.