Shea Metcalf, Andy Warhol, and a Pair of Underwear
Installation image of Shea Metcalf’s underwear, 2017, Studio 54 Party, University of Kentucky Art Museum, Collection of the Faulkner Morgan Archive.
Image of Shea Metcalf and boyfriend Drew Holbrook, 1980s, Collection of the Faulkner Morgan Archive.
This pair of underwear, signed by Andy Warhol, has become a signature artifact of the Faulkner Morgan Archive. It made an appearance at the University of Kentucky Art Museum's Studio 54 Party back in 2017 and was an absolute show stopper. They were made by Warhol for a young, handsome gay man from Central Kentucky named Shea Metcalf, who moved to New York City in the 1970s. Shea was born Nov. 24, 1960 and grew up in Lancaster, KY. Shea and his boyfriend Drew Holbrook lived together in NYC as Shea worked on his modeling career. Through his work, he soon became friends with legendary artists such as Paul Cadmus, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and of course Andy Warhol.
Image of Shea Metcalf , Drew Holbrook, and George Hoeltzel, 1980s, Collection of the Faulkner Morgan Archive.
The loose, doodle-like style of Warhol’s drawings on the underwear were meant as a way of playfully mocking Keith Haring, who was at the height of his career. Warhol also photographed Shea with some of the images now being sold at Christie’s for over $12,000. In these photographs, he is sometimes referred to simply as “male model,” but his features make his identity clear.
Shea Metcalf, 1985, Andy Warhol, Black and White Print, Collection of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
Unidentified Male, 1983, Andy Warhol, Black and White Print, Collection of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
Shea sadly passed on May 31, 1991 due to AIDS complications, preceded by his boyfriend Drew in 1990, and was later buried in his hometown of Lancaster, KY. Before his death, he made a trip back to Kentucky and gave his Warhol-related items to friends in Lexington. Along with the underwear, he also brought back a signed set of Campbell Soup Cans that were drunkenly opened and eaten not shortly after. This piece not only represents the national and international connections of Kentucky's queer community, but is also a testament to all that was lost in the AIDS crisis. Now, as part of the Faulkner Morgan Archive, this underwear serves as a celebration of Shea Metcalf’s powerful legacy. We are honored to act as bearers of Shea’s story.
Shea’s Memorial Service handout, 1991, Collection of the Faulkner Morgan Archive.
