In East London, where creativity spills into every street corner and gallery window, a new exhibition is about to shake things up. Unseen Indiana is coming to Gallery 46, offering an extraordinary glimpse into pop art royalty—Robert Indiana and Andy Warhol—as captured by the lens of William John Kennedy. These long-lost photographs, unseen for decades, will finally take centre stage in East London’s favourite creative playground.
With Shoreditch’s cultural scene already buzzing, this exhibition feels right at home. As you explore the streets steeped in grit and genius, don’t miss our feature on the best art galleries in Shoreditch for creative inspiration.
Behind the Curtain: Discovering William John Kennedy’s Lost Rolls
Before “LOVE” became a global symbol of pop culture, and long before Warhol was canonised in every hipster’s tote bag, there was William John Kennedy. A commercial photographer who stumbled into artistic immortality with a few unprocessed rolls of film. Those rolls, shot in the early 1960s, sat forgotten in a dusty Long Island drawer until 1997.
Now, over two decades later, they return to the spotlight—not just as photographs, but as intimate artefacts of a cultural moment.
Andy & Bob Like You’ve Never Seen Them
What makes Unseen Indiana so electric is its raw intimacy. These aren’t staged, glossed-up portraits. They’re candid, chaotic, and gorgeously flawed. Warhol leans against a rusted gate; Indiana toys with his now-iconic “LOVE” motif—before the world even knew what it was.
The standout? The Warhol Sunflower Series—a selection of 18 images that practically radiate their own strange, magnetic energy. Think less gallery polish, more underground photo zine. Very on brand for Shoreditch, wouldn’t you say?
From LOST to FOUND: A Pop Art Resurrection
Curated by Michael McKenzie, a long-time Indiana collaborator and founder of American Image Art, this exhibition is more than a flashback—it’s a resurrection. McKenzie first unearthed Kennedy’s negatives in the ’90s, leading to their rediscovery and a fresh appreciation for their historical weight.
Now, in the starkly elegant rooms of Gallery 46, these works are finally getting the visibility they deserve. The photographs don’t just feature Indiana and Warhol; they feel like conversations between friends, frozen in time and brought back to life.
Warhol & Indiana: Parallel Pop Universes
Let’s not forget who we’re dealing with here. Andy Warhol, the master of cool detachment and celebrity obsession. Robert Indiana, the poet of American signage. Together, their aesthetics shaped a generation, yet their creative lives rarely intersected in such a visible way—until now.
Seeing them side-by-side in these photographs is a revelation. The personalities clash and harmonise in equal measure, offering a humanising contrast to their mythic reputations.
If you’re into visual storytelling and cultural disruption, check out our London’s most rebellious artists reshaping modern galleries.
Shoreditch Gets the First Look
The fact that Unseen Indiana debuts at Gallery 46 isn’t just a happy accident. Shoreditch, long a magnet for artistic rebellion and creative experimentation, feels like the ideal launchpad. This neighbourhood doesn’t just exhibit art—it lives it, breathes it, and occasionally spray-paints it on your front door.
So yes, it’s fitting that these rediscovered relics of pop art history get their moment right here.
Don’t Just View—Experience
The exhibition isn’t only about observing; it’s about feeling connected to an artistic moment that defined an era. The raw quality of the images, the haunting presence of Indiana and Warhol, and the stripped-down atmosphere of Gallery 46 combine to create a genuinely immersive event.
Whether you’re a seasoned pop art junkie or simply curious about lost icons, this is the kind of cultural experience that sticks.
Final Frame: Why Unseen Indiana Matters Now
In a world oversaturated with digital everything, Unseen Indiana reminds us of the power of physical presence. The texture of analogue photography. The imperfect brilliance of human creativity. The surprise of rediscovery.
And where better to reflect on all that than Shoreditch?
Unseen Indiana
🗓 4 July – 28 July 2025
📍 Gallery 46, 46 Ashfield Street, London E1 2AJ
🌐 www.gallery46.org
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