A New Exhibition in West Sussex Reveals the Hidden Depths of a Pop Art Icon

A new exhibition at Newlands House Gallery in Petworth, West Sussex, is challenging the conventional perception of Andy Warhol, the enigmatic artist famous for his Campbell’s soup can paintings and Brillo box sculptures. Titled “Andy Warhol: My True Story,” the show offers unprecedented access to the artist’s private life, revealing a profoundly shy and sensitive character behind the elaborate façade.

Curated by British art historian and author Professor Jean Wainwright, a world expert on Warhol and a longstanding friend of the Warhola family, the exhibition spans 11 rooms and features family ephemera, early sketches, and intimate photographs that have never been exhibited before. These artifacts offer a new perspective on a figure as familiar to us as the Marilyn and Mona Lisa prints on display.

Warhol’s public persona as a slick-quipping pop icon was carefully crafted, but beneath the surface, he struggled with self-doubt, worry, nervousness, shyness, and anxieties. Wainwright, who has spent years researching Warhol’s audio tapes, notes that the artist made himself into a character with a wig and glasses, but underneath, there was a complex individual with many human traits.

The exhibition includes a 1956 drawing of a topless man reclining as tiny hearts wing their way like butterflies from his left hand, which hints at Warhol’s sexuality, which was not openly expressed. Another exhibit, a 1971 Gerard Malanga photograph titled “Andy Warhol in a pensive moment at the Factory,” shows Warhol downcast and distant, taken the day he learned that Valerie Solanas, who shot him in 1968, had been released from prison. This poignant image, never before seen in a museum, humanizes Warhol and challenges the notion that he was impervious to pain.

Warhol’s private life was surprisingly domestic, with his widowed mother Julia living with him from 1952. The exhibition features footage of their home, which is far removed from the upscale lifestyle we might imagine. Wainwright notes that few people would know this side of Warhol due to his “smoke-and-mirrors façade” and his tendency to “put out a different kind of image into the world.” The film, shot in 1966, shows Warhol and his mother going about their daily routine, doing laundry and cooking dinner, offering a glimpse into the quiet, intimate life of the artist.

The exhibition also challenges the misconception that Warhol didn’t care and was all about surface. Wainwright argues that he was a multi-faceted person who made himself into a character, but underneath, there was a complex individual with many human traits. The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into Warhol’s private life, revealing a person who was deeply caring and sensitive.

One of the most striking exhibits is a photograph by Bob Adelman from 1965, showing Warhol in the spotlight, surrounded by portrait lighting. His bare face, unhidden by sunglasses, wears an apprehensive, exposed expression. This image, which has been rarely seen, humanizes Warhol and challenges the notion that he was a cold, calculating artist.

The exhibition also explores Warhol’s relationships with those around him, including his brother, John Warhola, and his friends, such as Edie Sedgwick and Allen Midgette. Wainwright notes that Warhol was a master of manipulation, using his charm and charisma to get what he wanted from those around him. However, she also argues that he was a complex individual with many human traits, and that his relationships with others were deeply meaningful.

“Andy Warhol: My True Story” is at Newlands House Gallery in Petworth, West Sussex, until September 14, 2025. This exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in the life and work of Andy Warhol, and offers a rare glimpse into the private life of one of the most enigmatic artists of the 20th century.