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Holly Woodlawn painted by Sadie Lee.
Holly came from Miami, FLA
Hitchhiked her way across the USA
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs, and then he was a she
She said, “Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side.”
Lou Reed
The Drill Hall is proud to present the London premiere of a groundbreaking exhibition of ten paintings of Warhol Drag Queen Holly Woodlawn by award-winning British artist Sadie Lee.
Holly Woodlawn is one of the last surviving members of Andy Warhol’s ‘Factory’ inner circle, the star of cult films Trash and Women in Revolt. Born Harold Ajzenberg in Puerto Rico, 1946, she took the name ‘Holly’ from the gamine heroine of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. On meeting her, Capote declared Holly to be “the face of the 70’s”.
In October 2006, Sadie Lee spent every day for a week in Holly’s Los Angeles apartment, making studies of Holly as the basis for a series of oil paintings. The paintings, made on Lee’s return to her London studio, show Holly in all her incarnations, with and without make-up, wig and frock. This is the first time that Holly has allowed herself to be presented publicly out of drag. These are not just pictures of a man dressing as a woman; Holly is both male and female and neither.
She is, above all, a Superstar.
1st Oct to 11 Nov
Mon-Sat noon-8pm
Sun 11am-6pm
Free admission
The Drill Hall in association with queerupnorth and Salford Museum and Art Gallery
More details
www.andthenhewasashe.com
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Sadie Lee literally painting Holly Woodlawn during a sitting session
Afternoon Tea with Holly and Sadie
Grab a chance to meet one of the legends of queer culture: the Warhol Superstar and Stonewall Rioter – Miss Holly Woodlawn.
Holly came from Miami, FLA, as we all know. She’s making an even longer journey – from her home in Los Angeles all the way to London for the launch of The Drill Hall’s exhibition of portraits by Sadie Lee.
Celebrate with an afternoon of conversation and screenings – think This Is Your Life in full drag.
Sun 30 Sep
4pm
Drill Hall 1
£17.50
£15 concessions
