• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, June 19, 2018

The Andy Warhol Museum has petitioned the Cannes Lions to consider a posthumous award for the iconic artist and one-time advertising illustrator.  

According to the museum, based in the artist’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Warhol was an award-winning illustrator and art director who freelanced for a number of brands.

Warhol is well known for his commercial shoe illustrations, which stood out at a time—in the 1950s--when the ad industry was increasingly embracing photography. Many of his illustrations appeared weekly in the New York Times for I. Miller Shoes. 

Mark Moll, executive creative director of MARC USA Pittsburgh, the museum’s agency, stated, “Long known for breaking new boundaries in the visual arts and defining the Pop Art movement, few know that Andy’s first career was in advertising, where he broke new ground. When many advertisers were relying on photography, Andy’s whimsical illustrations stood out as a breath of fresh air.” 

The Museum has chronicled Warhol’s career in advertising in its current exhibition “Adman: Warhol before Pop,” which showcases his innovative illustration approach, including some pieces featuring typography his mother created. 

A letter of petition and samples of Warhol’s advertising work have been sent to the Cannes Lions organization “in hopes that Warhol’s unique contributions to the industry will finally be recognized.”