‘Just a joy’: High Desert Museum’s new exhibit, ‘Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species’ opened to the public on Saturday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The High Desert Museum is opening a new, colorful exhibit this weekend, with a special connection to both pop culture and a half-century of efforts to save many species from extinction. The High Desert Museum unveiled Andy Warhol's Endangered Species exhibit to the public Saturday,

 "The gallery is vibrant, and Andy Warhol's work is just a joy," museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw said Friday.

The Endangered Species exhibit at the museum will showcase 25 of Warhols's pieces in the gallery.

The collection includes his Endangered Species series, as well as Warhol's Skull series and his Vanishing Animals series, along with his well-known Marilyn Monroe works. 

This exhibition is a key component in the museum's recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.

"It protects iconic animals like bald eagles and freshwater mollusks, and and plants and insects as well," Whitelaw said.

The exhibit draws attention to the decline of endangered and threatened species. Warhol’s Endangered Species collection asks people to reflect on the need for actionable conservation on a global scale.

The exhibition is from the collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his family foundation. 

Whitelaw said, "His foundation has over 20,000 works of art in its collection. This is an opportunity for us to borrow work and bring it to Central Oregon."

The foundation is a nonprofit organization that has art displayed at more than 120 museums.

Whitelaw added, "I hope that visitors leave with a greater attention to detail for some of these lesser-known species, that their populations are in decline."

 The Endangered Species exhibit is open through April 7th of next year.