Coloured Rain - Irish Art, Gallery, Irish Artists, Northern Ireland

POP ART by Pietro Psaier at The Merchant Hotel

Born in Italy in 1936 Psaier led an interesting and varied life. Feeling lost in post-war Italy the young Pietro relocated first to Madrid and then in 1961 found his way to Soho, New York. Whilst working as a waiter in the Greenwich Village Gaslight Café he met Andy Warhol and an extraordinary bisexual relationship blossomed. Warhol nicknamed him “Peter the Italian” and their relationship continued on and off until the late 1960’s.
Although Warhol needed to trace and use a light box, Psaier was a skilled artist with watercolours, oils and pencil. Psaier produced layouts, silk-screens and joint works at Warhol’s studio “The Factory”. Though few artistic or financial rewards would come his way some critics say that without Psaier and fellow artist Rupert Jasen Smith in the background, Warhol could never have produced and maintained production of the Factories commercial output, but with both dignity and style both men chose not to take the limelight from Warhol.
Psaier continued to work by himself at a prolific rate producing hundreds of original pieces of art work until, sadly, the Tsunami struck his remote beach house off the Sri Lankan coast.
Most of the peices offered are from his own Studio and private collection and were not intended for sale.

Click on an image to enlarge and for details.