Unidentified Man,

ca. 1975

"A picture means I know where I was every minute," said Warhol. "That’s why I take pictures. It’s a visual diary." In order to chronicle his every encounter, Warhol carried a Polaroid camera with him from the late 1950s until his death in 1987. As a result, he amassed an enormous collection of photographs—both spontaneous and posed—depicting friends, acquaintances, lovers, art collectors, celebrities, nobodies, and himself. In the candid snapshots seen here, Warhol captures an unidentified man making playful facial expressions while attending what seems to be an intimate dinner party held in someone’s apartment. Warhol’s obsession with documenting every moment of his life anticipates contemporary society’s fascination with social media.