Constellation 1971

Allan D'Arcangelo created this screenprint, titled Constellation, in 1971, using ink on paper. D'Arcangelo's printmaking process gives the image its crisp, flat appearance. Silkscreening allows for bold, graphic shapes with consistent color, and that's definitely on display here. The smooth, uniform surfaces emphasize the geometric forms and hard edges, reducing any sense of depth or texture. It's all about clean lines and precise shapes. But what does this have to do with labor and production? Well, screen printing is inherently a reproductive medium. It lends itself to the creation of multiples, and in the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was closely associated with Pop Art and its embrace of consumer culture. D’Arcangelo is using a technique tied to mass production to create a seemingly abstract composition. This challenges the traditional idea of the artist as a lone genius, and emphasizes the importance of process and technique in understanding the work’s full meaning.