In view of Absolut’s enduring contribution to art and culture in London, the vodka company is launching a Warhol-inspired exhibition. Five cherry-picked artists will showcase their interpretations of the bottom half of Andy Warhol’s “blue” painting. Among these five under-represented yet incredibly talented artists is none other than Ken Nwadiogbu.
Although the London-based Nigerian artist was initially celebrated for his hyper-realistic charcoal drawings, Ken Nwadiogbu’s creative process has since evolved into a distinct style. His unique approach to drawing and painting employs the use of vibrant colours, a myriad of techniques and innovative leaps of creativity.
With great skill, he manages to tell socially conscious stories through images that seem playful at first glance. His oeuvre explores themes like migration, identity and socio-political control. Altogether, his artworks encourage viewers to re-evaluate their perception of relevant issues.
Unsurprisingly, his works have graced many esteemed sanctuaries of art including the Royal Academy of Art, Somerset House, and Bishop Museum. He has also worked with many prominent brands like Netflix, GANT, and Martell.
Ken Nwadiogbu’s participation in the “Absolut Warhol: The Other Half,” exhibition marks his second collaboration with a Pernod Ricard brand. Back in 2022, he designed “The Blue Experience,” a digital film for Martell.
This art experience titled, “Absolut Warhol: The Other Half,” will be hosted by the prestigious London Saatchi Gallery. Lucky for prospective visitors, attendance is free. Also, the exhibition is set to run from October 4 to October 6, 2024. Coincidentally or not, the event begins three days after the UK-launch of the Limited Edition Absolut Warhol bottle.
Bearing in mind his artistic competence, one can only expect that whatever Nwadiogbu is cooking shall be visually tantalising. As one skilled in challenging viewers to reconsider their perspectives, his re-imagination of “The Other Half” is something to look forward to.
Absolut Warhol’s Backstory
Approximately 40 years ago, Absolut commissioned Andy Warhol to create two product portraits of Absolut vodka. At the time, he was the first artist to paint the Absolut vodka bottle. This singular act marked the beginning of one of the greatest marketing strategies of the 20th century. Warhol created a bold black Absolut bottle which eventually became iconic. However, the second portrait referred to as Warhol’s Absolut “blue” painting was lost to the wind. For the longest time, its whereabouts remained unknown. In fact, its existence soon took on a mythical nature.
It was not until 2020 that the “blue” Warhol painting suddenly resurrected at an auction. When the Spritmuseum (home to Absolut Art Collection) got wind of this, the museum soon found Absolut’s contract to prove the painting’s provenance. Of course, this was after the originality of the painting was duly confirmed.
With this discovery, Absolut secured a licence from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to screen print the colours and imagery from “blue” onto their bottles. That was how the 2024 Limited Edition Bottle: Absolut Warhol came to be.
The Spritmuseum in Stockholm plans to unveil “blue” on October 17, 2024. Until then, let’s watch out for Ken Nwadiogbu and this iconic exhibition.
