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Andy Warhol
Most Wanted Men No. 12, Frank B., 1964

Artwork Info

Artwork title
Most Wanted Men No. 12, Frank B.
Artist name
Andy Warhol
Date created
1964
Classification
painting
Medium
silkscreen ink on linen
Dimensions
48 in. × 33 5/8 in. (121.9 cm × 85.4 cm)
Credit
The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Copyright
© The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Permanent URL
https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/FC.605.A-B
Artwork status
Not on view at this time.

Audio Stories

Why did Warhol paint New York’s most wanted criminals?

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transcripts

SFX: A noisy New York police station, circa 1964– phones ringing in background, a Desk Sergeant answers, “Seventh Precinct.” 

 

POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER:  

Next! Frank B., step forward! Face the camera. 

 

SFX: A harsh flash pops and whines. 

 

POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER:  

Turn to the side. Next! 

 

SFX: More of a pop into a vibrant New York nightclub, like it’s just taken over the Police Dept. 

 

NARRATOR:  

When the organizers of the 1964 World’s Fair handed Warhol a commission, this isn’t one of the faces they had in mind. Andy Warhol could have had his pick of glamorous subjects for this project. But instead he chose to enlarge mug shots from a 1962 pamphlet of the NYPD’s thirteen most wanted men. Criminals? On the side of the New York State Pavilion? No way. Within days of the opening, the canvas, which had already been installed, was painted over with silver paint. 

 

SFX: A glop of paint, applied thickly, muffles the throbbing dance music. 

 

NARRATOR:  

Fortunately, Warhol worked with silkscreens, so he could reproduce the work. Today, it’s not unusual for us to see criminals behaving like celebrities — and vice versa — but to give center stage to a bunch of criminal outcasts, however photogenic … well, in 1964, it simply wasn’t done. 

 

SFX: Flash.  

 

POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER:  

Yes, Frankie! Work it for me! Yes! Right to the camera, baby! Love it! Now turn left! Who’s the Most Wanted Man? Oh, you’re fabulous … I love it. 

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