Dovecot Studios has partnered with illustration students from Edinburgh College of Art to create a display that explores the themes of food and friendship, inspired by Dovecot's exhibition, ‘Andy Warhol: The Textiles’.
Before Andy Warhol was recognised internationally as an influential and significant artist, he worked as a commercial illustrator and graphic designer in New York during the 1950s and early 1960s. He first gained attention from the art editor of Seventeen magazine, who commissioned him for illustrations.
During this time, Warhol discovered Serendipity 3, a New York café-bistro that sometimes accepted drawings as payment for a meal. Stephen Bruce, the owner of Serendipity 3, held several exhibitions of Warhol's illustration work in the 1950s. Warhol later collaborated with his friend Suzie Frankfurt to produce a limited-edition cookbook called Wild Raspberries, which included recipes by his mother, illustrated by Warhol.
The Dovecot Café honours Warhol's friendships by showcasing the diverse interpretations of the young artists from ECA. The artists' imaginative depictions of cakes, pastries, crocheted tomatoes, and lino-cut characters capture the emotions and memories that food can evoke. Each piece reflects the artist's understanding of the brief, tapping into personal experiences and memories. This unique display celebrates art and the culture of socialising over food, both of which Warhol was passionate about.
All of the posters created by the ECA students will be displayed on rotation in the Dovecot Café. Visitors to Dovecot can view the display for the entire run of the exhibition, ending Saturday 18th May 2024.