Andy Warhol’s Moonwalk Complete Portfolio captures one of the most defining moments in modern history: the Apollo 11 moon landing of 1969. The series consists of two screenprints, both based on Neil Armstrong’s famous photograph of astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. standing beside the American flag. Against a deep black sky and textured lunar surface, Aldrin’s figure glows in bold Pop Art color. One version features radiant yellows and aquamarine tones, while the other pulses with vivid pinks and electric blues. The reflection of Armstrong in Aldrin’s helmet adds a subtle self-portrait element to the composition. In doing so, the two prints transform documentary photography into contemporary iconography — a celebration of exploration, technology, and national identity.
Warhol and the Iconography of the American Dream
Printed in 1987 by Warhol’s close collaborator Rupert Jasen Smith, the Moonwalk Complete Portfolio stands among Warhol’s final works. At the time, the world saw the Apollo 11 mission as the ultimate triumph of American innovation. It therefore provided a perfect subject for Warhol’s ongoing exploration of fame, spectacle, and national mythology. As the moon landing marked the climax of the Space Race, it also embodied the ideals of the American Dream — ambition, perseverance, and progress. Consequently, Warhol distilled this collective sense of pride and wonder into two radiant, almost spiritual, compositions that bridge photojournalism and Pop abstraction.
In these works, Warhol shifted from his earlier fascination with commercial products to moments of historical significance. Just as his Cowboys and Indians series reimagined America’s frontier myths, Moonwalk elevates a technological achievement into modern legend. Moreover, it echoes his Ads portfolio, where familiar symbols are reinterpreted as cultural relics. Through these connections, Warhol reinforces the idea that media images become the shared language of modern belief.
Moonwalk Complete Portfolio in Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
By the late 1980s, Warhol’s art had evolved into a reflection on history and memory. The Moonwalk Complete Portfolio, catalogued as FS II.404–405, exemplifies this transition. Instead, rather than glorifying fame alone, he captured the collective experience of witnessing the extraordinary. His use of vibrant color and repetition turns a fleeting event into an enduring symbol—one that speaks not only to American ambition but to humanity’s constant desire to reach beyond its limits.
Printed on Lenox Museum Board, these two screenprints were among Warhol’s last completed projects. Though created just before his passing, they remain a powerful testament to his ability to fuse art, technology, and myth into a single, timeless image.
Photo Credits:
1. Photo of Buzz Aldrin on the moon. Neil Armstrong, who took the photograph, can be seen reflected in Aldrin’s helmet visor. © NASA/JPL-Caltech.
2. Govinda Gallery owner and director Chris Murray presenting Buzz Aldrin with Warhol’s silkscreen print Moonwalk, depicting Aldrin on the moon. © Chester Simpson.
