WARHOL: INSIDE THE BOX

A Rare Glimpse into the Untold Story of William John Kennedy’s Iconic Warhol Photographs

William John Kennedy’s rare photographs of Andy Warhol capture a defining chapter in Pop Art history — and the story behind these images is as extraordinary as the pictures themselves.

For the first time, the exhibition Warhol: Inside the Box unveils the full saga behind Kennedy’s legendary photographs: from their creation during the birth of the Pop Art movement, to their decades-long disappearance, to their dramatic rediscovery and the ongoing story of the rare, sealed box sets that remain today.

The William John Kennedy: The Warhol Museum Edition box sets mark the first portfolio release in the history of The Andy Warhol Museum. They will be on show at a free exhibition at L’oscar London in Bloomsbury tonight, 18 March, 6 11pm. One lucky guest will also take home a signed piece of history in a unique draw.

Kennedy photographed Warhol from the early 1960s, capturing the artist just as his career exploded. These images — the only known photographs of Warhol with some of his most celebrated works — are considered the most important Warhol photographs ever discovered.

Remarkably, the negatives sat forgotten in a box for nearly five decades, almost discarded, until Kennedy rediscovered them. Working with KIWI Arts Group and The Andy Warhol Museum, he reintroduced them to the world in 2012 with a star-studded launch at the former Versace Mansion, unveiling 50 limited-edition Warhol Museum box sets.

Each handmade, archival aluminium box contains five signed and numbered photographs, along with essays, an introduction, and a foreword by Warhol Museum director Eric C. Shiner. At the launch, 38 sets sold immediately; the remaining 12 were acquired by collector Neil Bookatz for £40k each, beginning the next chapter in the story.

Bookatz later launched The Warhol Kennedy Residence on The Strand in 2018, selling seven remaining sets on the secondary market for up to £100k each and raising over £120k for children’s charities. One notable set, Box No. 16, was unsealed at a British Museum screening of Full Circle: Before They Were Famous, a documentary charting Kennedy’s Warhol images and featuring interviews with Warhol Superstars Taylor Mead, Ultra Violet, and Robert Indiana.

Today, only five sets remain, available exclusively from the Warhol Kennedy Residence at £100k each. Four will be opened for the first time by their buyers, while the final box will be auctioned by Christie’s, with proceeds split between the auction house and The Andy Warhol Museum — expected to fetch at least £250k.

Highlights include Warhol posing with an unrolled acetate of Marilyn at the Factory, wearing a Self Portrait on a homemade sandwich board, holding a bouquet in a field of Black Eyed Susans alongside an early Flowers canvas, and engaging with works like The American Man Portrait of Watson Powell Sr and his Birmingham Race Riot piece.

These intimate images peel back the veil on Warhol’s early persona, offering a rare insight into the artist before he earned his legendary “15 minutes” — and into a pivotal moment in art history.

Register to attend Warhol: Inside the Box at L’oscar London by emailing lovelondongallery@gmail.com.