Andy Warhol ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ Gallery Announcement Zurich 1976

Andy Warhol was commissioned to make a series of portraits of trans women by an Italian art dealer who came up with the name ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’. The subjects for the series were recruited by Factory employees and most were found at The Gilded Grape, a bar where Black and Latinx trans women and drag queens gathered, and where Andy would sometimes take clients to show them New York nightlife. Many of the subjects were only known by the name they signed on the polaroids Andy took of them. In all, there were fourteen portraits. The names of thirteen are known: Alphanso Panell, Broadway, Easha McCleary, Helen/Harry Morales, Iris, Ivette, Kim, Lurdes, Marsha P. Johnson, Michele Long, Monique, Vicki Peters and Wilhelmina Ross. This set of ten cards was created by Galerie Bruno Bischofberger, who represented Andy Warhol in Europe, for their showing of the portraits in 1976. Each card is signed by Andy Warhol. 25% of the proceeds from the sale of the ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ set will be donated to @aliforneycenter for their work with homeless LGBTQ+ youth.