This Virtual Geocache doesn't have a container to look for, but rather, you will have to answer a question or post a picture to prove you were there. This Virtual Geocache is located inside of a cemetery, so please be as respectful as you can while visiting. Many locals may walk by with their canines as you are visiting...I have never been completely alone at this site and the camera is always playing live at the museum!
Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola on August 6, 1928, in a two-room apartment at 73 Orr Street, Pittbsurgh. Immigrants from Slovakia, his parents Andrej and Julia Warhola had three sons, Paul, John, and Andy, the youngest. Andy wasn't the healthiest child and spent many days at home, bedridden. Andy also had pigment issues that caused discoloration of his skin. Nicknames like “Spot” and “Andy the Red-nosed Warhola” echoed in his mind and he wound up cultivating different looks through his clothing, wigs, cosmetics, and plastic surgery to change the shape of his nose.
While in elementary school in Pittsburgh, Andy started taking free art classes at the Carnegie Institute (now Carnegie Museum of Art). After graduating from Schenley High School in 1942, Andrej, recognizing his son’s talent, saved money to pay for Warhol’s college education, and he attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) from 1945 to 1949. After graduating Andy dropped the A from his last name and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a commercial artist.
As we know now, Andy Warhol was quite successful and today you can cross the Warhol bridge and visit The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, a museum that holds the largest collection of Warhol’s artworks and archival materials. In addition to viewing his collection and catching a glimpse into his life, visitors can even sit for a screentest and learn the techniques Andy, himself, used and perfected.
Sadly, on February 22, 1987, Warhol died at New York Hospital in Manhattan due to complications following gall bladder surgery. Warhol's body was brought back to Pittsburgh and is buried right here in front of his mother and father at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery.
Quote from Andy:
I never understood why when you died, you didn’t just vanish, and everything could just keep going on the way it was only you just wouldn’t be there. I always thought I’d like my own tombstone to be blank. No epitaph and no name. Well, actually, I’d like it to say “figment.”
On August 6th, 2013, The Andy Warhol Museum launched a new project in collaboration with Earthcam called Figment, a 24/7 live view of Andy's grave. One way to get credit for this virtual cache is to visit the webcam page and screenshot a picture of you and your caching partners visiting Andy. Be sure to bring a letter to add to the folder next to the marker. If you forget to bring one, there should be materials to leave a message while there.
TO GET CREDIT FOR THIS CACHE-
Please post or send me a picture of some part of you and Andy Warhol's marker, preferrably via the webcam with you in the screen, but I will also accept just pictures of your group at the site. If for some reason you can't take a picture and post it, you can send me the information found on the 4 cross markers to the right of Andy when looking at the front of his marker. Please do not list this information in your log, but I welcome you to post all of your visit pictures. Also, be sure to log both Waymarks listed below!!
Webcam on the museum site - Via this link you can hit the camera and email me the picture directly - renruts@gmail.com. Use your geocaching name as your name for easy reference please.
Another link to the webcam
Visitors from around the world travel to Pittsburgh to honor and even speak to Andy Warhol. These Conversations with Andy are chronicled by artist, Madelyn Roehrig. Madelyn also hosts a birthday party each year on August 6th at this site and invites all of us geocachers to celebrate with her!!
Waymarking:
Web Cameras
Grave of a Famous Person
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.