With forty years having passed since the legendary first meeting of Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys on May 18, 1979 at Hans Mayer Gallery in Düsseldorf, here we share some archival images to mark the event. The black and white photographs of the canons were taken at the exhibition opening by Magdalena Broska (CEO of the Adolf Luther Foundation), who stands as a witness of time. Some years ago, Broska donated these images to collector Dirk Lehr, being well aware of his of Warhol fandom. Following below, Lehr explains (and shows us) his personal values of the significance of editions and works on paper:

“I am very focused on contemporary painting, which was the main emphasis of the past Online Exhibition. As well as this, I have a great sympathy for paper works and editions. In fact with paper works, was where it all began. The first artwork I bought was a work on paper, which today is more than 30 years ago. I love the different aesthetics of watercolour, drawing, lithograph, silkscreen and etching. It is not only a wonderful transfer medium for colour, it is also a wonderful material to work with. Just have a look at Deborah Wargon’s paper cut outs or Robert Rauschenberg’s Cardbird series! Rauschenberg used for example, Kellogg Corn Flakes packaging boxes to create objects and Allen Jones turned a wallpaper into an artwork while printing a comic image on it – that‘s very Pop!

One can also not forget that photography would be impossible without paper.

I also like the democratic philosophy of editions. You can‘t image Andy Warhol’s factory idea of multiplying without printing on paper. Everyone can afford an original piece of art. And last but not least, editions have been the starting point of countless great collections. Therefore editions – to me – are not second best, they are a genus in itself.”

Dirk Lehr, Berlin

See more from the Dirk Lehr Collection here.

See more from the Adolf-Luther Foundation’s collection here.