Inside the Factory

Pop-art fans mourning Monday's closing of the Corcoran's Warhol exhibit have something to smile about. A new exhibit opened at Irvine Contemporary this weekend that fulfills all Andy-related desires.

The not-so-creatively titled exhibit "Celebrity Photographs from the Warhol Years" is exactly what it claims to be. The Connecticut Avenue gallery contacted and acquired the work of four photographers -- Billy Name, Carl Fischer, Gerard Melanga and Curtis Knapp -- who photographed the world inside Andy Warhol's New York art and party factory during the 1960s, '70s and '80s.

Walking around the Connecticut Avenue gallery feels like a trip down pop-culture's memory lane. Photographs of Edie Sedgwick, Nico and Allen Ginsberg -- icons from another generation -- hang on the gallery's silver walls, a tip of the hat to the Warhol factory's decor. Works are grouped by photographer, so visitors can get a sense of each artist's style.

I came to the gallery most excited to see the shots of sexy celebrities, but I left most interested in the semi-candid shots of Warhol in the Factory. Andy Warhol has always been this iconic mega-artist to me and I liked being able to see him at work or catch him goofing around with his friends. It gave me a sense of the artist as a person.

If I had an extra $1,500 to $4,000 laying around, I might even purchase one of the photographs.

The exhibit closes on March 31. If you've had a chance to check out the show, post a reader review.

--Julia