Andy Warhol published Self-Portrait 156A to coincide with the opening of two European exhibitions that featured his work. One of the exhibitions was at the Kunsthaus in Zürich, Switzerland, which ran from May 26 to July 30, 1978. The other exhibition was at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæck, Denmark from October 6 to November 26, 1978. The fuschia and pink patches in the screenprint add a sense of vibrancy to the otherwise blunt sketch that he draws of himself. By drawing attention to the wistfulness in his face,the viewer may see a more intimate view of Warhol as he was: a quiet, shy and contemplative observer of the world.
Self-Portrait 156A by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
With Self-Portrait 156A, Warhol established himself as a subject as iconic as those in his other works. Throughout his career, Warhol’s image became almost as ubiquitous as his work itself––an uncommon feat for most artists. These pervasive images of Warhol were popularized both by his own making as well as by other artists and photographers. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, his self-portraits became more common, largely due to his interest in different types of cameras and printing methods.
