Siberian Tiger, from Endangered Species 1983

Andy Warhol made this print of a Siberian Tiger as part of his Endangered Species series, using silkscreen. This process involves pressing ink through a stencil onto paper, creating bold colors and graphic shapes. The flat areas of color and hard outlines of the tiger’s features are a direct result of the silkscreen technique, which is more commonly associated with commercial printing. The result is a sort of mechanical reproduction, but with subtle misalignments that reveal the hand of the artist, and give each print a unique quality. Warhol elevated this technique, typically used for mass production and advertising, to the realm of fine art. He draws a parallel between endangered animals and the mass consumption of imagery in contemporary society. Silkscreen printing allowed Warhol to produce many versions of the same image quickly and efficiently, mirroring the way consumer goods are produced and distributed. Ultimately, the use of industrial materials and processes can challenge traditional notions of artistic skill and originality.