The Greatest (Series II) 

Steve Kaufman’s ‘The Greatest (Series II)’ is made using silkscreen printing, a process where ink is pressed through a stenciled mesh screen. Silkscreening is a democratic technique, allowing for mass production and replication, mirroring the industrial processes that define much of contemporary life. Kaufman combines this technique with hand-painted elements, creating a hybrid that sits between mass production and individual expression. The flat, bold colors and hard edges of the silkscreen contrast with the more expressive, gestural marks of the paint, generating a dynamic tension across the surface of the work. By using these commercial techniques, Kaufman draws attention to the commodification of fame and celebrity, and the way in which iconic figures like Muhammad Ali become mass-produced images. But it's also a celebration of the possibilities of mechanical reproduction, nodding to the visual language of advertising and pop culture. Understanding the means of production here is key to understanding the work’s impact, and its connection to broader social and economic issues.