Statue of Liberty 1962

Andy Warhol created this "Statue of Liberty" using screen printing, a process perfectly suited to his artistic vision. Warhol embraced screen printing because it allowed him to reproduce images quickly and in large quantities. He found beauty in the mechanical nature of the process, and it suited his project of commenting on consumer culture. The slightly misaligned colors, and the visible texture of the ink, all contribute to the work’s aesthetic. Warhol wasn't interested in hiding the evidence of his methods. Instead, he highlighted the way images circulate in our society, becoming both iconic and endlessly reproducible. The labor involved is different from that of a painter working alone in a studio; it speaks more to the world of commercial production. By using these methods, Warhol blurred the boundaries between high art and commercial design, forcing us to reconsider how we value the work of the artist.