Malibu man involved in multimillion-dollar sale

Nearly four decades after they were created, some largely forgotten works of art by cult artist Andy Warhol are going up for sale this week at a Malibu art dealer.

In 1985, Warhol, a father of the Pop Art movement, was introduced to the emerging world of home computers. Short on cash at the time, the famous Warhol was courted by the now-defunct Commodore International, a former rival of Apple, to help launch the company’s Amiga computer. The superstar was tasked with demonstrating the innovation of merging digital technology with fine art.

Commodore staged a lavish event at Lincoln Center, where Warhol, ever an innovator and eager to experiment with new media, seized the opportunity.

During a live demonstration, he created a now-famous portrait of singer Debbie Harry from the rock group Blondie. However, the artist was not an expert in the groundbreaking technology of the time and the Amiga’s advanced color graphics capabilities, so a computer expert was called in to help. Engineer Jeff Bruette lent his expertise to Warhol for the demonstration. Warhol’s digital portrait of Harry captured the public’s imagination. Harry was a cultural icon in her own right, and her collaboration with her friend Warhol symbolized the merging of two major figures in the art and music worlds.

Eventually, three portraits of Harry were made. They belong to the singer herself, the late CEO of Commodore, and Bruette, who was given a signed portrait on floppy disk, along with other digital images. Bruette kept the old floppy disks and then transferred them to USB sticks, revealing a veritable treasure trove of Warhol’s digital experiments.

“This is the rarest thing. I can’t think of a work of art that is more unique than this one right now,” said Kenneth Mitchell, who has lived in Malibu for four decades and is selling the artwork.

Mitchell, who has managed art galleries in New York and Palm Beach during his 60-year career and had spent time with the artist years before, said: “When Andy started learning how to use the computer, he fell in love with it. That was all he wanted to do.”

For many years, these digital works were overshadowed by Warhol’s more traditional works and the physical media for which he is best known – until now. Bruette has decided to part with his resurfaced Warhol treasures and enlist Mitchell to sell them. The collection includes 10 images by Warhol on two original floppy disks, two USB sticks, the original Amiga computer and a portrait of Harry signed by Warhol. It is being offered for $26 million. “There are seven pieces that the public has never seen before,” Mitchell said. Two images are of Dolly Parton, and several others are self-portraits.

“The first time I met him was at the Gotham Bookstore. He didn’t have a dealer at the time. He had a portrait of his mother, which I bought,” recalls Mitchell, who has since sold nearly 100 Warhols in his long career. “He was always so engrossed in something, a work of art, anything. He never stopped.”

Mitchell visited the artist several times in his studio, known as “The Factory.” “He was always surrounded by a crowd,” he noted.

The sale of Warhol’s lost digital images represents a fascinating intersection between art history, technology and pop culture. The uniqueness of these works, unlike traditional Warhol works, represents an early engagement with what would later become a major trend in the art world: digital and computer-generated art. Warhol’s digital works, which embraced new ideas in art, showcased new technologies long before they became mainstream in the art world.

The sale of these lost digital images further underscores Warhol’s enduring influence and the timeless appeal of his work. It also serves as a reminder of the ever-evolving nature of art and the ways in which technology can transform creative expression. The works honor Warhol’s legacy of paving the way for greater recognition of digital art in the global art market, marking the convergence of traditional art values ​​with modern technological advances while opening up new possibilities for creating, viewing and appreciating art in the digital age.

Mitchell said, “This is the most exciting journey I’ve ever taken in my career.” The art dealer, who has sold Gauguin and other major works, loves Warhol’s art and credits the artist with “opening up the art market.”

Mitchell wants to sell the digital Warhols but hopes a museum will buy the collection. “I want to keep it in this country and I want it to be seen by more than one person,” he said.

For information about the collection or to discuss further, contact Kenneth Mitchell at (310) 508-3770, [email protected] or [email protected].

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