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32 (Generic) Soup Cans

Art installation inspired by Andy Warhol

2014

If you grew up in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut in the 1980’s you probably did some food shopping at a Pathmark.

If that’s the case you’d probably remember the ultra generic “No Frills” product line they carried. I remember it well. Almost fondly.

When I relocated to Pittsburgh I paid homage to its native son, Andy Warhol and his 32 Soup Cans.


What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-Cola, and just think, you can drink Coca-Cola, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.

-Andy Warhol

What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-Cola, and just think, you can drink Coca-Cola, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.

-Andy Warhol

Now, there consumers are able to purchase generic versions of those very same name brands. Are generics just as good as the real thing?  Are they even better? Supermarkets and drug companies want you to think so. They also want you to pay extra for the premium “name” brands.  It’s all very confusing.

When you can’t afford the name brand you go generic.

An actual Warhol Soup Can print costs a pretty penny

We offer a generic.

Is it as good as the real thing?  

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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