Experience an intimate perspective on Andy Warhol’s extraordinary ascent from underground New York Pop figure to a defining icon of the 20th century, captured by renowned photojournalist Steve Schapiro through more than 120 compelling images. Explore Warhol’s world from his Factory days to moments with his circle, including the Velvet Underground in Los Angeles, revealing the artist at the height of his creative and cultural impact.

In 1965, Steve Schapiro began capturing Andy Warhol for LIFE magazine as Warhol was establishing himself as a pivotal Pop artist inspired by popular culture and commercial imagery. Known for his sunglasses, blond wig, and understated public persona, Warhol was enigmatic, magnetic, and fiercely ambitious, fully aware that fame required a documented presence. Schapiro, equally driven and discreet—“kept quiet and smiled a lot,” as he recalls—served as a perfect observer of Warhol’s unstoppable rise from a niche New York artist to a global icon. Although LIFE never published the feature, many of these photographs are now revealed for the first time, meticulously scanned from negatives discovered deep within Schapiro’s archive.

From 1965 to 1966, Schapiro actively documented Warhol and his circle of iconic figures, including Edie Sedgwick and Nico, as they attended art openings, created the underground film Camp, produced silkscreens at the Factory, and navigated New York’s streets. Schapiro also captured the momentous opening of Warhol’s first museum retrospective at Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art, an event that drew thousands and marked the rise of Andymania. The journey concludes in Los Angeles, where Warhol showcased his ironic Silver Clouds at the Ferus Gallery, stayed at the scenic Castle, and organized a performance by the cult band the Velvet Underground.

Featuring more than 120 photographs, Schapiro’s images are juxtaposed with tipped-in plates of original Warhol artworks exhibited during the period. The art works include Before and After, 4, 1962, Colored Campbell’s Soup Can, 1965, S&H Green Stamps, 1965, One Dollar Bills (Fronts), 1962, 100 Cans, 1962, Flowers, 1965, Shot Red Marilyn, 1964, Elvis I and II [Elvis Diptych] [Ferus Type], 1963–64, Green Disaster # 2 (Green Disaster Ten Times), 1963, White Disaster (White Car Crash 19 Times), 1963, and many others. Also featuring an interview with Steve Schapiro, who passed away in early 2022, and an essay and extended captions by official Warhol biographer Blake Gopnik. Andy Warhol and Friends 1965–1966 is a definitive portrait of a groundbreaking artist at a transformative period in postwar American culture.