Campbell's Soup Cans
Warhol was a commercial illustrator before embarking on painting. "Campbell's Soup Cans" was shown on July 9, 1962 in Warhol's first one-man gallery exhibition in the Ferus Gallery of Los Angeles, California curated by Irving Blum. The exhibition marked the West Coast debut of pop art. The subject matter initially caused offense, in part for its affront to the technique and philosophy of the earlier art movement of abstract expressionism. Warhol's motives as an artist were questioned. Warhol's association with the subject led to his name becoming synonymous with the "Campbell's Soup Can" paintings.