Who Was Valerie Solanas?
Valerie Solanas was a controversial figure in the 1960s counterculture scene. She was best known as the author of the SCUM Manifesto, a radical feminist text advocating for the overthrow of the patriarchal system. The acronym "SCUM" stood for the "Society for Cutting Up Men," reflecting Solanas’s provocative and extreme ideology. She was an aspiring writer and had approached Warhol with a script for a play she had written called Up Your Ass.
Warhol initially took an interest in Solanas’s work but later misplaced the script, an act she interpreted as deliberate sabotage. This perceived betrayal, coupled with her growing paranoia, led to her belief that Warhol was exploiting her.
The Shooting
On the morning of 3 June 1968, Solanas arrived at The Factory armed with a .32-calibre revolver. She demanded to see Warhol, and when he entered the room, she shot him three times. One bullet passed through Warhol’s stomach, liver, spleen, and lungs, causing life-threatening injuries. Solanas also shot art critic Mario Amaya, who was present, and attempted to shoot Warhol’s manager, Fred Hughes, but her gun jammed.
Warhol was rushed to the hospital, where doctors worked for hours to save his life. He underwent multiple surgeries and spent months recovering, though he never fully regained his physical strength.
Why Did She Do It?
Solanas’s motivations were complex, rooted in her struggles with mental health, feelings of marginalisation, and extreme feminist ideology. She claimed Warhol had too much control over her work and life, saying, “He had too much control over my life.” Her paranoia, coupled with her belief that Warhol embodied a patriarchal system she despised, led her to commit the act.
The Aftermath
Following the shooting, Solanas turned herself in to the police. She was charged with attempted murder and sentenced to three years in prison, including time spent in psychiatric facilities.
For Warhol, the shooting marked a turning point. The physical and psychological scars shaped the rest of his life and art. His later works explored themes of death and trauma, reflecting his near-death experience. Warhol also became more reclusive, distancing himself from the chaotic social scene that had defined The Factory.
