Presented in collaboration with
For the first time ever, works from The Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA’s Permanent Collection are being exhibited abroad. In collaboration with UNAM’s historic Casa del Lago in Mexico City, this landmark exhibition — developed over the past several years — showcases a rare selection of Warhol’s Polaroids and gelatin silver prints from the 1970s and 1980s.
These intimate images—capturing patrons, friends, and cultural figures—were central to Warhol’s creative process and laid the groundwork for many of his most iconic works. Alongside photographic works, the exhibition includes ten of Warhol’s iconic screen prints. Together, they reveal his fascination with celebrity, identity, and the spectacle of the everyday.
This transnational collaboration celebrates Andy Warhol’s enduring legacy while highlighting the role of university collections in connecting cultures, generations, and artistic practices.
This exhibition is made possible, in part, by gifts from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to The Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA’s Permanent Collection.
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
In accordance with Andy Warhol’s will, the mission of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is the advancement of the visual arts. The Foundation manages an innovative and flexible grants program while also preserving Warhol’s legacy through creative and responsible licensing policies and extensive scholarly research for ongoing catalogue raisonné projects. To date, the Foundation has given over $300 million in cash grants to more than 1,000 arts organizations in 49 states and abroad and has donated 52,786 works of art to 322 institutions worldwide.
The Foundation encourages a deeper understanding and appreciation of Warhol’s artistic and cultural influence by providing access to Warhol’s work and encouraging new Warhol scholarship, most notably, through the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, which was formed through the donation of thousands of artworks and archival materials from the Foundation; the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Project; and through the Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonné, an immense ongoing scholarly project funded by the Foundation.
The Foundation is dedicated to supporting the creation of new work by experimental visual artists. Funding reaches artists through flexible grants awarded to the organizations and institutions that support them. Driven by the belief that visual art is an essential form of communication, and that innovative creative expression is a crucial component to an open and enlightened democracy, the Foundation funds projects and organizations that challenge art historical and social conventions, address systemic inequities, and push art in new directions, whether through content, concept, aesthetics, process, techniques, or materials.
Casa del Lago UNAM
Founded in 1551, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico), or UNAM, stands as one of the world’s leading institutions of higher learning, renowned for its enduring legacy of intellectual leadership, cultural innovation, and social impact. Among its alumni are Nobel Laureates and internationally recognized scholars, and its student body is one of the largest and most diverse in the Spanish-speaking world. The university’s main campus, celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a landmark of modern architecture and artistic expression. Extending far beyond the classroom, UNAM is a driving force in cultural creation and dissemination across the Americas, shaping dialogues that bridge history, art, and contemporary society.
At the heart of this cultural mission is Casa del Lago, UNAM’s historic arts center located in the Bosque de Chapultepec. Since its founding in 1959, Casa del Lago has been a vital platform for experimental and interdisciplinary work, hosting exhibitions, performances, literary programs, and film screenings that connect local communities with global artistic currents. Its setting—surrounded by the lake and gardens of Chapultepec—has made it an iconic space for innovation, dialogue, and public engagement, reaffirming UNAM’s role as a catalyst for cultural life in Mexico and beyond.
CulturaUNAM
CulturaUNAM is the cultural initiative of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, founded on the belief that art can inspire the social change needed for a more hopeful future. Each year, CulturaUNAM presents more than 10,000 events—from festivals, concerts, and theater productions to film screenings, exhibitions, and lectures—bringing art and culture into the daily lives of students and the wider community.
With a presence across Mexico City, including iconic venues such as the Centro Cultural Universitario, Casa del Lago, Museo Universitario del Chopo, and the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, CulturaUNAM fosters dialogue, creativity, and critical reflection that reach far beyond the university.
Visit Casa del Lago’s webpage to plan your visit and to read more about this exhibition.
Visite la página web de Casa del Lago para planear su visita y obtener más información sobre esta exposición.
- Upcoming Events:
Fri, Oct 3, 6:00 PM | Opening Reception
Opening Reception at Casa del Lago UNAM in Mexico City, located at:
Bosque de Chapultepec
Primera Sección S/N
San Miguel Chapultepec, 11850
Mexico City
Exhibition Hours
This exhibition is on view at Casa del Lago UNAM in Mexico City.
Viewing hours:
Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Casa del Lago UNAM is located at:
Bosque de Chapultepec
Primera Sección S/N
San Miguel Chapultepec, 11850
Mexico City
- Past Events: