Mirror 1990

Roy Lichtenstein’s “Mirror,” made in 1990, uses screen printing to mimic the industrial aesthetic of commercial printing. Lichtenstein employs the flat, graphic language of pop art. Solid black bars are set against a white ground, suggesting the play of light on a reflective surface, but devoid of any actual reflection. Screen printing allows for bold, uniform colors and sharp lines, lending the image a mass-produced feel, which in itself is deeply ironic. Lichtenstein often engaged with industrial modes of production, as he reflected on the proliferation of images in consumer culture. The result is an image that, while handmade, appears mechanically reproduced, blurring the lines between art and commodity. By appropriating the visual language of mass media, Lichtenstein challenges the traditional hierarchies of the art world. He elevates everyday imagery to the status of high art, and prompts us to reconsider the value we place on originality and authorship.