Born in Paris to Venezuelan parents, Marisol (María Sol Escobar) held a central position in the New York art scene and American Pop movement. Over time, however, she was written out of the white male-dominated Pop narrative. By situating her work in dialogue with Warhol’s, this exhibition seeks to reclaim the importance of her practice; reframe the strength, originality, and daring nature of her work; and reconsider her as one of the leading figures of the Pop era.

The exhibition highlights shared themes in the artists’ works: iconic Pop subjects of Coca-Cola and the Kennedy family; Warhol’s covertly queer early paintings with Marisol’s investigation of the female experience; the artists’ roles as influencers in the New York gallery scene; and expansive ideas of installation. Integrated throughout the exhibition are Warhol’s silent films, produced in 1963–1964, that he made of Marisol and which capture intimate and magnetic sides of her otherwise reserved persona. These never-before-realized juxtapositions of early works demonstrate Marisol’s clear influence on Warhol’s early career and reveal the sincerity of their artistic friendship.

As the first publication to explore the relationship between Marisol and Warhol, the exhibition catalogue includes contributions by Jessica Beck, Jeffrey Deitch, Angie Cruz, Eleanor Friedberger and Franklin Sirmans. Reviews and gallery records attest to her enormous popularity in the 1960s, but the history of her impact on the Pop movement is insufficient. This catalogue fills this void with texts that situate Marisol’s work within the art historical record, reveal the influence of her work and star power on Warhol, provide personal accounts of her impact in New York and honor her unwavering commitment to her singular vision. Created from extensive research of reviews, articles and archival documents, the catalogue also features a timeline of shared events and overlap in Marisol and Warhol’s early careers from 1949 to 1968.