Andy Warhol loved to be photographed but was an uneasy model.

“He was 100% awkward,” said photographer Christopher Makos, an in depth friend and confidant of Warhol’s, and from 1976 to 1986, a part of The Factory, Warhol’s studio in Latest York City.

“Andy was all about his hands,” Makos told WWD. “He didn’t know what to do with them. What makes it so fascinating is that here you will have one in all the most important artists of the times not knowing what to do in front of the camera.”

On Monday, Ralph Pucci International, positioned at 44 West 18th Street in Manhattan, launches an exhibition of photographs of Warhol taken by Makos, drawn from Makos’ book published last yr entitled “Warhol Modeling Portfolio Makos.” The book exposes the lesser-known modeling phase of Warhol’s life.

Warhol was Makos’ muse. He learned quite a bit from Warhol concerning the creative process and “the art of business,” he said. Meanwhile, Makos taught Warhol find out how to use a camera. Amongst their many projects together, Makos art-directed Warhol’s first book of photographs, “Exposures,” and collaborated on the book “Altered Images” containing 349 poses of Warhol in drag wearing wigs. Makos also played a very important role within the Netflix series “The Andy Warhol Diaries.”

Pucci’s exhibition includes eight large Makos photos of Warhol, each 36 inches by 48 inches, and one which’s 44 inches by 66 inches. Some have the old wax pencil markings from the unique contact sheets to spotlight the very best of the shoot. The exhibit includes close-up portraits of Warhol taken by Makos through the years, and a picture of Warhol posing as Elvis Presley, called “The Three Andys.”

Warhol was motivated to model by his agent, who thought a portfolio would help expand the Warhol brand and the artist’s role as an endorser of products. As Makos writes in his book: “Andy’s actual modeling and endorsement profession did show promise, attested to by his work for the likes of Braniff Airlines, Drexel Burnham, Sony Beta Tapes, Pioneer High Fidelity Receivers, L.A. Eyeworks, U.S. News & World Report, Vidal Sassoon, Air France, and I can’t consider this myself, Sub-Zero fridges.”

“Andy and I did six photo shoots to get his modeling book together. They were directly related to the style of the time,” explained Makos, with Warhol styled in Halston, Stephen Sprouse and appears from other designers. In a single photo he’s wearing a leather necklace with a giant crystal. “On the time Andy was very much into crystals which were happening then,” Makos said. “Andy and I did a variety of projects together.”

Regarding the modeling, Warhol is quoted as saying, “It should be hard to be a model since you’d wish to be just like the photograph of you, and you’ll be able to’t ever look that way.”

Makos said the Pucci exhibit represents “a behind-the-scenes portrait of America’s most famous Pop artist being absolutely awkward as a model — but heading in the right direction. He was eccentric, interesting, popular, peculiar — all of the things that make an artist an artist. The pictures absolutely capture Andy. Andy loved being photographed. He was an outsider, a child from Pittsburgh who desired to be accepted by everybody. He was all the time practicing find out how to be in front of the camera, all the time very aware of himself.”

Between Makos and Ralph Pucci, there’s also been an extended association. “I’ve been working with Chris for 35 years. We put together 10 or 12 shows together,” said Pucci. “Post-COVID[-19], life is getting back to normal. So I felt it was the proper time to do a tribute to Andy Warhol. In the course of the pandemic we renovated our mannequin factory into also serving as a furniture gallery and we decided to call it The Factory as a fun tribute to Andy Warhol. He was such a significant player on the planet of popular culture. But Chris himself is becoming an icon, too. He’s been intimately involved in a lot of Latest York.”

Pucci said the Warhol photos provide “more of an intimate, behind-the-scenes view. Chris and Andy were very close friends. They traveled all around the world, and Chris photographed Andy when he was very relaxed or once they got here up with a crazy idea. They simply executed. It was very spontaneous.”

Pucci said the Warhol photos shall be up through December. Together with the Warhol show, the Pucci showroom, which focuses on luxury furniture, decoratives, lighting and photography, on Monday launches a solo exhibition of “Plasterglass,” works by the influential Parisian designer Elizabeth Garouste; a recent “Etna” furniture collection by Nina Seirafi, created for Ralph Pucci, and a debut exhibition by Alexandre Logé.

Pucci said Garouste is thought for her “avant-garde designs and talent to preserve the traditions of decorative art while breaking down conventional aesthetics in her artworks, sculptures and interiors.” Her profession began in designing theater sets before embarking on a partnership in furniture with Mattia Bonetti.

Seirafi’s furniture collection, Pucci mentioned, is “grounded by the delicate tactility of the monochrome designs crafted in raw materials comparable to lava, crystal stone, bronze, chipwood and oakwood.”

Pucci also said the pieces Logé has created “reflect our shared interest in using diverse materials to create furniture and lighting that’s timeless and sculptural.”