American Pop Art icon Andy Warhol, famed for his canvas work, was shot 40 years ago this week. A disturbed woman who blamed Warhol for having too much control over her life, Valerie Solanas, walked into Warhol’s Manhattan studio and shot him after he had lost a manuscript of hers.

Incredibly Solanis was actually praised by women’s rights activists for this attempted murder of one of modern arts most celebrated sons.

Ti-Grace Atkinson, president of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women applauded Solanis for her actions, calling her:

the first outstanding champion of women’s rights.

Although Andy Warhol survived the attempted assassination, his work was never the same again and he told friends that he felt he had died long before his eventual death some years later. Even though Warhol would go on to create some important works, such as the famed portrait of Mao, his works paled in comparison with his earlier work.

Solanis was jailed for just three years for the attempted murder of Warhol, and outlived the artist by over a year before dying herself in squalor.

Warhol was famous for his canvas paintings, films and photography. He was the complete artist.

Because of his work with Band Aid and the Make Poverty History campaign, U2’s front man Bono is recognised the world over, more so than the average rock star. He’s chatted with US Presidents, taken tea at 10 Downing Street and met the Pope. It’s a wonder when the singer actually gets time to sing.

Now Bono has been immortalised on canvas in a Pop Art painting in the style of the great Pop Art master himself, Andy Warhol. Warhol was famous for creating works of art of some of the greatest icons of the twentieth century, such as Marilyn Monroe and Wayne Gretzky; Bono, with his global fame, certainly fits into that category.

The painter responsible for painting Bono on canvas is Steve Kaufman, one of Andy Warhol’s prodigies. The painting itself a 2-panel work that was painting in Kaufman’s California studio. As with all great paintings it’s been given a very literal title, ‘Bono 2 panel painting’. The painting shows two images of Bono, one in portrait and the other in profile; naturally sporting his trademark sunglasses.

Kaufman met Bono when he came to Dublin recently for an exhibition entitled ‘Pop Art Ireland’.

Andy Warhol’s portrait of the former communist leader, Mao Zedong, is set to become the artist’s most expensive ever work. Auctioneers Christies are hoping to net $120 million for the giant 14-foot tall painting.

Rather than being part of an auction, Christies are selling the painting in Hong Kong, in a private sale. Christies are hoping that Olympic Games in Beijing will prove a suitable draw to enable them to sell a painting such as this for a new record amount.

Asia has recently emerged as an improving market for the American pop art icon.

As we approach a new season of art auctions in New York, Christies are hoping that the profile of this painting, and its subsequent sale, will improve interest in the art world amidst recent price drops in the market. The New York art shows will be featuring some interesting work, which includes a mix of impressionist, modern and contemporary art.

There is a lot riding on the sale of Andy Warhol’s painting at the moment. Especially as many art experts are pessimistic about the upcoming New York art shows. They believe that the slow down in the market will result in much of the art remaining unsold.

Prices have recently dropped by 7.5% in Q1 2008, which was surprising, as the art world had benefited from consistent rises over the last few years.

The Grand Palais in Paris had recently been promoting an art exhibition where they were hoping to display a painting by the famed Haitian painter; Herve Telemaque. His 1964 painting ‘Escale’ was used to promote the exhibition on the gallery’s posters that were displayed prominently around Paris. However, attendees at the art gallery were shocked to find that the painting was in fact nowhere to be seen.

What was the reason for this? The owner of the painting had promised the work to the Grand Palais for their exhibition, however the painting is currently residing within the vaults at Christies Auction House. The reason being that the buyer, despite purchasing the painting in December 2007, has yet to pay for the work.

As a result, Christies have refused to let the painting out of their possession.

The painting sold for 180,250 Euros at auction in December, and until the debt with the auction house is settled, the owner of the painting cannot claim his work, nor can he ‘loan’ the painting to the Grand Palais, even though they merely want to exhibit the painting for the art lovers of Paris.

A spokesman for the Grand Palais said:

There was a setback with the art collector and we only found out about it a week before the opening.

We spent a lot of money to advertise this exhibition with the promotion centred on Telemaque’s painting.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until July 13th, even if the debacle over the Telemaque painting isn’t resolved.