Andy Warhol 1975

Here we see Andy Warhol's portrait of Mick Jagger, screenprinted in black and gold ink. Screenprinting is a really interesting process: ink is pushed through a fine mesh onto the paper, except where a stencil blocks it. Warhol was drawn to it precisely because it was semi-mechanized, a way to repeat an image without the touch of the artist's hand. That detachment suited his sensibility, and his deadpan commentary on celebrity culture. The bold lines and flat planes of color are so characteristic of Warhol’s style, but it’s worth remembering that these effects are born of a very particular, almost industrial mode of production. It's a process that lends itself to mass production, echoing the very celebrity culture it depicts. Ultimately, considering the materials and processes used by Warhol allows us to understand how the means of production can shape the meaning of an artwork, and challenge the traditional hierarchy between fine art and more commercial forms of making.