When Andy Warhol Came to Kuwait – 1977

Back in 1977, Andy Warhol came to Kuwait under the invitation of the National Council of Arts, Culture, and Letters, and his work was exhibited at the Dhaiat Abdullah Al Salem Gallery. Fred Hughes, his manager, accompanied him from the States, along with James Mayor of the Mayor Gallery in London.

Andy always carried his camera everywhere he went and while he was in Kuwait he took a lot of photos. Thanks to @5892484, I was recently made aware that all the photos he took on his trip are available online at the Standford Libraries Andy Warhol Photography Archive.

While researching for this post I also found this interesting tidbit from James Mayor about their trip to Kuwait:

I had a girlfriend who was on the board of the Arts Council of Kuwait who had offered to hold an exhibition of any artist of my choice. I suggested maybe Andy Warhol and she jumped at the chance, as did Andy who gave up his invitation to President Carter’s inauguration at the White House to do it. I remember during the lay-over at Frankfurt airport on our way to Kuwait having what I thought would be my last drink for a week or so (boy, how wrong I was!); we were met off the plane by a tomato soup coloured Rolls and ushered away to non-stop parties. At the first dinner we were welcomed by the largest drinks trolley I have ever seen and after dinner the white-gloved English butler offered us all ready-rolled joints on a silver salver. At another lunch a sheik came up to me and said ‘You have brought me Andy, now bring me Salvador!’ Sadly no commissions materialised but I did manage to sell one Marilyn portfolio and a couple of sets of Soup Cans. source

Click here to see all the photos from that trip.