Andy Warhol Mao, 1972

BILL FISHER:  My name is Bill Fisher. I am the middle son of Doris and Don Fisher. I think they loved the Pop Art period because it of its figuration and how anyone could relate to those works. Center to that is their collection of Warhol. And the Mao figure, as well as the Jackie Triptych, were very key to their collection. Those two were iconic figures during the period in which they both actively collected. 

Warhol represented, I think, the ultimate in creativity. He took daily things that people take for granted and he made them into art, and I think my parents could relate to that. The breadth of his works is quite broad. The figures that he did, Jackie and Mao, are center to Andy Warhol’s work, but also I think key figures in my parents’ generation. 

The original reason for my parents to collect in the beginning was to put artwork on the walls of the Gap offices. That love of art I think became a part of them and when I come into the museum and see their collection, it brings back incredible memories that I have for my parents. They collected together. It almost was like a fourth child of theirs and they got so much joy out of putting together their collection, and I can’t think of anything more personally gratifying than being able to share this with all of you today.