Harold Stevenson
Harold Stevenson in his High School Annual (Class 1946-47) from the news section of his estate's website
April 22, 2025: An exhibition of works by Harold Stevenson opens at the Andrew Kreps Gallery in Tribeca April 29, 2025. A parallel exhibition of his European work runs from May 1 - May 31, 2025 at the Tommaso Calabro Gallery, 545 W 23rd St., New York. The date of the opening reception has changed at least once and now appears to be May 2, 2025 as a celebration of both shows. (see below)
Harold Stevenson's artistic style incorporates elements of pop, neo-realism and surrealism.
Harold Stevenson's most famous work is probably the 40 foot long male nude in the collection of the Guggenheim Museum, modelled on the gay Hollywood heartthrob Sal Mineo who starred with Marlon Brando in Rebel Without a Cause.
Harold Stevenson's The New Adam at the Guggenheim Museum in New York
In addition to being an exceptional artist, Stevenson also appeared in a number of Andy Warhol's films. Callie Angell writes in the first volume of the film cat. rais.:
Stevenson "appeared in several of Warhol's early films, including a Kiss roll with the artist Marisol and another, as yet unlocated film called Harold which premiered at the Feigen/Palmer Gallery in Los Angeles on January 5, 1964. According to Stevenson's recollections, Richard Feigen showed Harold on a television set in the gallery, so that it ran continuously next to his paintings. The film included Stevenson's Kiss roll with Marisol and other footage, shot at the Carlyle Hotel in New York of Stevenson changing clothes over and over again. No film matching his description has been found in the Warhol Film Collection or elsewhere.
In the fall of 1965, Stevenson posed for his Screen Test at the Factory, and also appeared in the Dan Williams film Harold Stevenson,, which included 1965 footage of Stevenson attending the filming of Camp at the Factory; and romping with his friends Paul America, Edie Sedgwick, Gerard Malanga, Marisol. Ruth Ford, Rosalind Constable, and Louisa Angeletti in his suite at the Carlyle Hotel.
In the late fall of 1966, Stevenson again appeared in a Warhol film, this time dressing up as a Mississippi riverboat gambler for and unreleased reel called Nancy Fish and Rodney." (AD194)
And then, of course, there was his great role as an ex-child actor who was the boyfriend of Andrea Feldman's father (married to her mother played by Sylvia Miles) in Heat (produced by Andy Warhol; directed by Paul Morrissey).
L to R: Andrea Feldman, Joe Dallesandro and Harold Stevenson in Heat
According to Callie Angell, Andy Warhol became friends with Stevenson "around 1950" when Warhol was a commercial illustrator.
From the first volume of the Andy Warhol Film Catalogue Raisonne:
The Oklahoma-born painter Harold Stevenson became friends with Warhol around 1950; later they were both part of the artistic gay circle centered around the New York restaurant Serendipity. Warhol's first solo exhibition in New York, Fifteen Drawings Based on the Writings of Truman Capote, was held in 1952 at the Hugo Gallery, run by Stevenson's dealer, Alexander Iolas. (AD193)
In addition to the show at the Andrew Kreps Gallery, a parallel exhibition focusing on Stevenson's time in Europe will be taking place at the Tommaso Calabro Gallery as per the press release:
Andrew Kreps Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of works by Harold Stevenson (b. 1929, d. 2018). Curated with Schwartzman&, the exhibition is the first devoted to Stevenson's work in New York in over twenty years, and is organized in collaboration with the artist's estate. A parallel exhibition centered on the artist’s time in Europe will be on view at Tommaso Calabro Gallery, 545 W 23rd St., New York from May 1 - May 31, 2025. A reception for both exhibitions will be held on Friday, May 2 from 6 -8 pm.
Some of Stevenson's time in Europe was spent in England - he was 'in with the in crowd' that circulated around Robert Fraser (the art dealer who was busted with Mick Jagger and appears in Richard Hamilton's painting, Swingeing London.)
In the the (excellent) oral history of Robert Fraser, Groovy Bob by Harriet Vyner, Stevenson gave a great description of London's infamous Colony Room:
Harold Stevenson:
Whatever I did in England, it would invariably involve Robert [Fraser], Michel Warren, Francis Bacon and a number of us; We would all hang out at the Colony, which was also called Muriel's. You had to be so in the know. I thought it was terribly funny, being American and all that. All these very sophisticated intellectual aristocrats hung out in this absolute pit! It was such a mess, you, know, but everybody loved it.
As someone who went to the Colony Room much later (in the 1990s), I can certainly confirm that his description of the artist and writer hangout was spot on. In fact it is one of the best descriptions I've read. Walking into it was more like walking into a working men's club than an exclusive (almost impossible to gain entry) drinking den populated in the past by artists like Francis Bacon and later by the likes of the YBAs i.e. Damien Hirst etc. The appeal of the room (which was featured in a considerable amount of books and a John Maybury film) was the conversations that took place in it.
I'd like to know more about Stevenson's exploits in London. Contact garycom.now@gmail.com.