MAO BY ANDY WARHOL (1972)
I created this drawing using four mediums in order to respond/re-create this piece.
RESEARCH:
Andy Warhol is a Pop Artist famous for his series of silk – screens that he made on the subject of fame. Warhol began in the early 60s with many of his portraits of Marilyn Monroe; her death led him to contemplate fame. His portraits of her are constantly recreated and could be said to be his most iconic piece. I would say this piece fits into the middle part of his career as his focus was on an important figure of the 20th century. He had read that Mao was the most famous person, in Life Magazine, at the time and used that as an initiative for the piece. This highlights Warhol’s interest in popular culture and important figures.
His technique is comprised of silk screen-prints however Mao is his first political portraits so he departed from his usual subject but kept his artistic technique the same. He created a portfolio of 10 interpretations, which arguably illustrate a clash between communist propaganda and western popular culture. He was able to recreate the image into a glamorized pop art.
