Bald Eagle 1983

Andy Warhol made this *Bald Eagle* using screen printing, likely in his New York studio surrounded by a chaotic mix of people, ideas, and images. The searing red backdrop, the stark black body, and that bright yellow beak—it's like Warhol cranked up the volume on American symbolism. When I look at the eagle's white head, I see these delicate lines of blue and pink. I imagine Warhol, in that wig, maybe a little bored, layering color upon color, almost like he’s building up an idea, testing its limits. It reminds me of his soup cans, but instead of consumerism, he's poking at patriotism. Think of the other painters Warhol knew and admired, like Robert Rauschenberg. There is a playful sensibility here, a kind of invitation to see the world anew.