Brigid Berlin facts for kids

Brigid Berlin (born September 6, 1939 – died July 17, 2020) was an American artist. She was also known as a "Warhol superstar," meaning she was one of the people who often appeared in films and projects by the famous artist Andy Warhol.

Early Life and Family

Brigid Berlin was born in Manhattan, New York City, on September 6, 1939. She was the oldest of three daughters. Her parents were Muriel Johnson Berlin and Richard E. Berlin. Her father was in charge of the Hearst Corporation, a big media company, for many years.

Growing up, Brigid often met famous and powerful people. She recalled meeting important figures like Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, and J. Edgar Hoover. Because of her family's connection to San Simeon, she also met many Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable and Joan Crawford.

Brigid had three younger siblings. Her sister Richie was once roommates with Edie Sedgwick, another person connected to Andy Warhol's films. Her youngest sister, Christina Berlin, helped the famous Russian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov come to the United States. She also had a younger brother, Richard Berlin Jr. Brigid was briefly married to John Parker in 1960, but they later divorced.

Working with Andy Warhol

After some time, Brigid Berlin met Andy Warhol in 1964. She quickly became an important part of his group of friends and artists. After moving to the Hotel Chelsea, she started using the nickname Brigid Polk.

Brigid appeared in several films made by Andy Warhol. These included Chelsea Girls (1966) and Ciao! Manhattan (1972). Later, she also had small roles in two films by director John Waters: Serial Mom (1994) and Pecker (1998). A documentary called Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story (2000) shared her life story.

Brigid was known for recording and photographing her daily life. Parts of her recordings were used to create a play called Andy Warhol's Pork. Other recordings she made were used for The Velvet Underground's first live music album, Live at Max's Kansas City, which was recorded in 1970 and released in 1972.

In 1969, Andy Warhol made a playful announcement that all his paintings were actually made by Brigid Berlin. Brigid went along with this idea when she was interviewed by Time magazine. This joke caused the value of Warhol's art to drop for a short time. Both of them later said it was just a prank.

In 1975, Brigid Berlin started working full-time for Andy Warhol's Interview magazine. She continued to work there even after Warhol passed away. Her friend Patricia Hearst, who also worked at Interview, noted that Brigid would often knit and care for her two small dogs while working at the front desk.

Brigid Berlin's Artwork

Brigid Berlin was also a very active artist herself. Some people believe her artwork influenced Andy Warhol's work, but it was often less noticed because of Warhol's greater fame.

Both Brigid Berlin and Andy Warhol loved using Polaroid cameras. They were very competitive about who had the best camera and film. In 1969–1970, an art dealer named Heiner Friedrich showed some of Berlin's work in an exhibit called Polaroids and Tapes. He also made a book with the same name.

Berlin's Polaroid photos were often experimental, sometimes using double exposures. Her pictures showed her own unique way of seeing things. She often took self-portraits, photos of other Warhol superstars, and pictures of artists and celebrities. In 2015, an exhibit of her Polaroid self-portraits called "It's All About Me" was shown at the Invisible-Exports Gallery in New York City. The New York Times said her photos were a strong and joyful statement from an artist who was not afraid to show herself.

In 2015, a collection of her digital archives was published in a book called Brigid Berlin Polaroids. The book included a note from John Waters. A review in the Wall Street Journal mentioned that Brigid Berlin was the first person Andy Warhol allowed to photograph him after he was shot in 1968.

Film Appearances

• Chelsea Girls (1966)
• Tub Girls (1967)
• Bike Boy (1967)
• Imitation of Christ (1967)
• Four Stars**** (1967) also known as 24 Hour Movie
• Lonesome Cowboys (1967)
• The Loves of Ondine (1967)
• Women in Revolt (1971)
• Ciao! Manhattan (1972)
• Phoney (1973)
• Fight (1975)
• Andy Warhol's Bad (1977)
• The Critical Years (1987)
• Serial Mom (1994)
• Pecker (1998)
• Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story (1999)
• Danny Williams and the Dream Factory (documentary, 2007)