$ 1982

Curator: Here we have Andy Warhol's "S," created in 1982. It is a striking example of his graphic work. Editor: Oh, it screams "Warhol," doesn't it? But in a slightly angsty way. Like money’s on his mind, but it's not a celebration, more like a…burden. That raw, scribbled texture definitely sets it apart. Curator: Precisely. The stark, almost brutal, application of line and color serves to amplify the symbolic weight of the dollar sign. Notice how the red almost bleeds into the ground, lacking the characteristic polished finish we see in much of his Pop output. Editor: It's like he’s stripping away the glitz, showing us the underlying… desperation? It reminds me of how my landlord looks when rent's due. All the bright Pop art irony gets swallowed by the starkness of the thing itself. It's a symbol that devours. Curator: I agree; there's a pronounced subversion here. We see how Warhol continues to explore the commodification of everyday imagery, only here, the graphic sign, detached from the context of currency, functions as a potent, self-contained signifier of value. Editor: Right! Like he's saying, "Okay, we’ve turned everything into a brand, including money itself." And there's this underlying tension... I wonder what was happening in '82? Must have been some interesting dinners. You get the sense that everything familiar is viewed through an anxious filter. Curator: One could argue that the seeming crudeness of the printmaking reveals a breakdown or perhaps interrogation of established order… This technique could underscore both appropriation and an almost nihilistic stance towards cultural tropes. Editor: Definitely feels less about consumption and more about…consequences. Makes you wonder about the real price tag on everything. I came in thinking easy breezy pop and leaving thinking "end of days". Curator: Warhol provides viewers not answers but a field of signs, the arrangement of which must involve the viewer. I appreciate the disquiet it leaves in its wake. Editor: Well said. It makes one pause and consider if happiness can be measured in dollars. Profound questions arise.