Self-Portrait with Fright Wig 1986

This is a self-portrait by Andy Warhol, made with a Polaroid camera, and it really captures his playful side. The wig is the first thing you notice, right? It's like a halo of white noise, a total Warholian statement. The contrast between the stark white hair and his dark turtleneck is so graphic. It's a simple palette, but it’s used to maximum effect. Think about the Polaroid itself, that instant gratification. You snap a picture, and there it is. It's a direct, unfiltered glimpse, but also a performance. He's constructing an image, playing with identity. You see that slight blur around the edges? It reminds me of the way Gerhard Richter would paint from photographs, smudging the image to create a sense of distance. It's like Warhol is both present and absent, a real and constructed persona all at once.