Grevy’s Zebra 300 by Andy Warhol is one in a series of 10 prints which make up his Endangered Species portfolio. The portfolio includes the African Elephant, the Pine Barrens Tree Frog, the Bald Eagle, the Giant Panda, the Siberian Tiger, the San Francisco Silverspot, the Orangutan, Grevy’s Zebra, the Black Rhinoceros and the Bighorn Ram. Grevy’s Zebras have been found in the Eastern parts of Africa; they have become endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.
Grevy’s Zebra 300 by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
In 1983 Warhol was commissioned by his friend and publisher Ron Feldman and his wife Freyda to create this series. Both Freyda and Ronald were celebrated political activists who were very active philanthropists. In 1983, they asked Warhol to create a portfolio of ten endangered species to raise environmental consciousness. Warhol fondly referred to this series as his “animals in makeup,” given the bold pop colors he uses to portray the animals as larger than life, which is exemplified in Grevy’s Zebra 300. Warhol’s Endangered Species portfolio is characterized by bold colors that highlight the features of the animals portrayed, and it is one of his most dynamic series in regard to the bold colors employed.
