Andy Warhol: Artists and Autism

Andy Warhol, known for his Pop Art technique that he used in the second half of the twentieth century, is a famous artist that is one of the most remembered artists of his time. He had several unusual social and mental patterns that match up to having had autism, though he was never officially diagnosed. This is explained in the book I read, Lives of the Great 20th Century Artists by Edward Lucie-Smith. Even though the book covers many artists, Andy Warhol was one that captured my attention the most. Warhol used his obsession with repetition (another symptom of autism) to create his iconic Campbell Soup series.

This new discovery on Warhol lends further evidence for the connection between autistic behavior and artistic talent. There has always been some relationship between the autism spectrum and creativity, but now there is more being studied on how autism can be seen and interpreted through art and music. Warhol would most likely be diagnosed with a "higher functioning" form of autism. Something on the lower end of the spectrum: closer to Asperger syndrome. Autism and Asperger's is seen in artists who are hyper-focused on details and uniformity. It is a common trait of many creative professionals because they find it easier to communicate through art than being in a social situation that requires  talking and making eye contact. Below are some examples of Andy Warhol's most famous pieces. I'm sure many of you will recognize them. He definitely had an eccentric and colorful artistic style.