Suicide (Fallen Body)

I never really appreciated Andy Warhol until I saw Supernova: Stars, Deaths and Disasters, 1962– – 1964 exhibit at the AGO. This image was my favourite of the exhibit and is one of my favourite pieces of art. The Kiss by Gustav Klimt is my all time favourite painting. Unfortunately, the image doesn’t even come close to seeing it real life.

The original photo is an enigma. Such a beautiful photo of such a horrific event.

On May 1, 1947, Evelyn McHale leapt to her death from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Photographer Robert Wiles took a photo of McHale a few minutes after her death.

The serenity of McHale’s body amidst the crumpled wreckage it caused is astounding. Years later, Andy Warhol appropriated Wiles’ photography for a print called Suicide (Fallen Body)

You can see the original photo in the post called The most beautiful suicide on kottke.org.

image: khm.de