As the CEO and founder of the highly addictive interior design megasite Apartment Therapy, Maxwell Ryan presides over one of the premier online destinations for inspired design tutorials, product recommendations and voyeuristic home tours. Ryan is also the author of several hit design books, including the 2010 New York Times best-seller, Apartment Therapy’s Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces. Here, Ryan weighs in on what might capture Andy’s attention today. Hint: Bieber-fever tops the list.
What was your first Warholian moment, and when did you first encounter him?
I was a 70s New York kid, so Warhol was all around me back then, but the biggest thing I remember were his soup cans prints and how everyone thought they were so outrageous at the time. A total insult to the serious art world!
Who would be Andy’s muse if he were alive today?
Warhol loved beautiful icons and he loved messing with them, so he’d probably be dying to get his hands on Justin Bieber.
What are your latest cultural obsessions?
Web video. We started making short films about our readers and artists and interesting people for our site last year and now we’re putting out two a week. Jeff Katzman just did a “My Favorite Things” shoot with us. (You won’t want to miss his use of air plants.)
What would you consider to be Warhol’s motto?
Like.
If you could collaborate with Andy on a project, what would it be?
I love his use of color and strong graphic imagery. I’d love to make a big print of the Apartment Therapy squiggle with him in many colors.
Dream dinner party: you, Warhol, and…..?
Lindsay Lohan, Kate Middleton and Jonathan Adler.
Imagine Warhol had a Twitter account. What kind of thing might he say in 140 characters or less?
I had a lot of dates but I decided to stay home and dye my eyebrows.
Whose portrait would Andy most want to do if he were alive today?
Justin Bieber.
If you could own one work by Andy, what would it be?
Marilyn Monroe, 1967 with the pink background.
Soup can or Coke bottle?
Coke.
Studio 54 or Régine’s or Jane Hotel?
Studio 54.
Follow Maxwell
@maxwellat
www.apartmenttherapy.com/
