Kiss 8 by Andy Warhol is derived from a still from one of his earliest films. This project was made in response to censors that prohibited Hollywood films from allowing lips to touch and linger for more than three seconds. Warhol shot male/female, female/female and male/male kisses that lasted for three whole minutes. Andy Warhol is estimated to have shot over 150 films, fifty of which have been preserved by the Museum of Modern Art. The museum has preserved Warhol’s films such as Kiss, Empire and Sunset.
Kiss 8 by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
Warhol began showing these films in 1963, which were shown in installments. These installments ultimately lead to a 55-minute long version. Some of the kissers include artists Marisol and Robert Indiana. Additionally, Warhol’s screenprint from this film was featured in Rosa Esman’s 7 Objects in a Box. Esman is an art dealer turned art publisher that worked for Tanglewood Press Inc. She designed a simple art-packing crate to contain 7 inventive works that capture the movement, medium and philosophy of art. Other such items include Great American Nude by Tom Wesselmann, Chicken by George Segal, Sunrise by Roy Lichtenstein and Baked Potato by Claes Oldenburg.
