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Inspired by the cover of the highly influential album The Velvet Underground & Nico, these may be the only bookends in the world that you can actually peel. The peelable banana cover of the seminal vinyl album, released in 1966 and reissued in 1968, was designed by Andy Warhol—and is an object in MoMA’s collection. Kidrobot pays faithful tribute to this artwork with this pair of weighty resin bookends featuring 3D reproductions of Warhol’s banana perched on white arcs. When you want to switch up their look, remove one half of the magnetic peel to reveal the pink banana beneath. Each Kidrobot Andy Warhol Banana Bookend in this set of two stands 9.5” tall and weighs about eight pounds. Both Andy Warhol and Kidrobot have work in MoMA’s collection.
Why We Chose This
Andy Warhol, who is represented in MoMA's collection with over 250 works, met the Velvet Underground in 1965 and became the band's manager. Warhol's contributions to the band's first album, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1966), included his suggestion of using German singer Nico on several tracks, and his now-iconic design for the cover. Early copies of the album were interactive: one was invited to "Peel slowly and see"—when a banana-shaped sticker was peeled back, flesh-colored fruit was revealed. To produce these peelable-art covers, a special machine was needed, which was paid for by the record's label MGM, following the wisdom that any connection to Warhol would boost sales of the album. Most reissued vinyl versions of the album do not include the peel-off sticker and the original, rare peel-away editions are coveted by record collectors. A 1968 reissue of the album, which features the peelable sticker, is in MoMA's collection.
In or Related to MoMA Exhibitions
The Museum of Modern Art has revolutionized what a museum exhibition can be. MoMA has sought to document and respond to important developments in the field of design as they happen. As MoMA continues to innovate and lead at the forefront of art and design exhibitions, MoMA Design Store mirrors that spirit of exploration by discovering ever-new and original products, many seen for the first time in MoMA Exhibitions.
