Lost and Found: Warhol’s lost art sparks a new Absolut Vodka campaign

40 years ago, Absolut Vodka collaborated with renowned pop artist Andy Warhol to create a sleek and sophisticated bottle design that would stand the test of time. This year, Absolut launched another iconic campaign in collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation, which was born out of the recently unearthed sibling of the original Warhol commission.

In 1985, Warhol was commissioned to create two artworks, but only one was reproduced as an advert. ‘Absolut Warhol’ became an instant icon, the other was forgotten. Years later, when the Swedish state donated the collection of commissions from 1985 to Spritmuseum, the second painting was not included. Assumed to be lost, the commission was forgotten and thought to never see the light of day.

However, 35 years later, ‘Absolut Warhol Blue’ reemerged in auction, breathing new life to the famous ad campaign. Now part of the Absolut Art Collection, the painting has been unveiled at Stockholm’s Spritmuseum as a centrepiece of the new exhibition, Andy Warhol, Money On The Wall, curated by renowned art historian and Warhol biographer, Dr Blake Gopnik. This surprise revived the Warhol campaign with Absolut, giving us the chic Absolut Warhol Blue bottle you can buy today.

Absolut’s collaboration with Warhol is a no-brainer, the artist’s fascination with commercial products has always been focal to his work. The task of celebrating and reimagining the famed Absolut bottle silhouette was no challenge for Warhol and continues to be a part of his legacy today.

This rendition will be propelled globally and will be located in airports of iconic cities around the world. From London Heathrow to Dubai International, Sao Paulo to Sydney, Madrid to Santo Domingo, you’ll be able to land at your next destination with a bottle of Absolut Vodka and a tale of lost and found art. 

As part of the collaboration, renowned Mexican director and photographer Santiago Sierra Soler has directed a short film walking viewers through the journey of the rediscovered painting and Warhol’s lasting impact. With T-Rex’s 20th Century Boy blasting in the background, the short film is an ode to the past and the present. Inspired by Warhol’s brushstrokes, it references Absolut’s and Warhol’s shared history of fine artistry.