Shadows III 221, made up of gold and black colors, is an original print by Andy Warhol that exemplifies the abstract moodiness of the Shadows III complete portfolio and Warhol’s larger Shadows series. Warhol said, “Someone asked me if I thought they were art and I said no…disco décor.” Playing on this idea, it seemed that Warhol felt as if this series was reminiscent of wallpaper more so than high art, which was exemplified when he later staged a fashion shoot with his Shadows III series as the backdrop.
According to previous MOCA director Philippe Vergne, Warhol himself never saw all 102 panels of the Shadows suite together. Vergne also said that Warhol dreamed of having his Shadows grace the walls of the Studio 54 night club. Moreover, Warhol left no instructions on the order in which to hang them and since the pieces are not numbered, they can be hung at random. Perhaps leaving room for play, he allowed viewers to have a new experience each time the panels are installed. This idea evokes a new concept, which is not seen in any of Warhol’s other works, as most of his pieces, although are made in a series, are meant to hang individually.
Although Shadows III 221 diverts from the traditional mass media objects that Warhol famously created, the series illustrates his interest in creating works that all bear the same compositional aspects, yet are still able to hold onto their individual uniqueness. Shadows III 221 incorporates diamond dust, adding a sparkling effect to the print and making the series even more appropriate to hang on the walls at a disco club.
Photo credits:
- Arthur Tress, Andy Warhol, 1979. Image: © Arthur Tress, © Courtesy Dia Art Foundation, New York, Artwork © 2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
- Warhol priming Shadow paintings, 1979. Image and Artwork: © 2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
