The Shadow (II.267), 1981
Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board with diamond dust
Edition of 200, signed
96.5 x 96.5 cm
Portraying himself in a confident pose, in “Shadow’ Andy Warhol references his numerous ‘Shadow’ series which were meant to critique Abstract Expressionism.
Itself a statement of individuality, this self-portrait is striking for its ambivalence: on one side, the viewer can experience Warhol’s representation of himself as a star artist, his gaze is distant and cunning, yet his face dissolves into a shadow-like form.
Moreover, Warhol deliberately included a number of bubbles and spots. The contrast between the artist’s aspect and his shadow encapsules Warhol’s idea of himself as a multiplicity, as opposed to being one with himself.
