Andy Warhol was an American artist and filmmaker who emerged from the Pop Art movement of the 1960s to become a defining figure in avant-garde cinema. His films, including Sleep (1964), Empire (1964), and Chelsea Girls (1966), rejected conventional narrative structure in favor of extended, static shots and experimental presentation, often exploring themes of celebrity, repetition, and the nature of cinema itself. Warhol's work challenged audiences' expectations of what film could be and influenced generations of independent and experimental filmmakers. He remained a central figure in American visual culture until his death in 1987, leaving behind a body of work that blurred distinctions between fine art, film, and popular culture.