Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an American artist and one of the most influential figures in the pop art movement of the 1960s. He was known for his vibrant, colorful works that incorporated everyday objects and images from popular culture, such as Campbell's soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles, and Marilyn Monroe. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warhol showed an early talent for art and went on to study at the Carnegie Mellon University and later, the School of Fine Arts at Yale University. After moving to New York City in 1949, he began his career as a commercial artist, working as an illustrator for magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In the 1960s, Warhol became a prominent figure in the art world with his distinctive approach to art, which challenged traditional notions of beauty and elevated everyday objects and images to the status of art. He became famous for his silkscreen paintings, which allowed him to reproduce images quickly and easily, creating a mass-produced, machine-made look. Warhol's most famous works include his Campbell's soup can series, which he first exhibited in 1962, and his portraits of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor. He also created a number of avant-garde films, including "Sleep" (1963), a six-hour film of a man sleeping, and "Empire" (1964), an eight-hour film of the Empire State Building. Throughout his career, Warhol remained a controversial figure, known for his eccentric personality and provocative art. He was a fixture of the New York City social scene, and his studio, The Factory, became a gathering place for artists, musicians, and celebrities. He died in 1987 at the age of 58, but his influence on contemporary art and popular culture continues to be felt today.