The Shadows II Complete Portfolio by Andy Warhol is part of his ambitious Shadows series from 1979. In this collection of larger-than-life works, Warhol turned a natural, everyday phenomenon into a subject of wonder. The Shadows series was commissioned by the Dia Art Foundation and first exhibited at the Heiner Freidrich Gallery in New York. Warhol’s master printer at that time, Rupert Jasen Smith, produced the edition.
Shadows II is one of five subdivisions of the larger Shadows project. Together, the series comprises 102 individual panels designed to be installed as one continuous piece. Though Warhol added his resplendent style (and diamond dust), the series departs from his fascination with fame and glamor. Instead, it directs attention to something often overlooked: the fleeting shape of a shadow.
Color, Scale and Atmosphere
The Shadows II prints are large, saturated, and cinematic. Their deep hues are reminiscent of experimental filmstrips, evoking Warhol’s avant-garde cinema and the drone of The Velvet Underground. By 1979, the artist’s vibrant portraits Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor had already defined Pop Art. With Shadows, he applied Pop’s “bigger is better” mentality to abstraction and atmosphere.
MOCA director Philippe Vergne, described the series as “the line between the American dream and the American death. They are as dark as they are glamorous.” Originally conceived for Studio 54, Warhol himself referred to the works as “disco-décor.” The alluring chromatic interplay of dark values and kaleidoscopic, vivid hues of light fit for the club. The large scale and vague forms create an intriguing sense of elusiveness, teasing the audience to guess the source of the silhouette.
Such a foray into obsidian depths in the Shadows prints elevates them among other pieces in Andy’s catalog, offering a more clarion call to develop a personal interpretation of the work. Still, the trademark Warholian exuberance illuminates the canvas in pulsating hues, enticing the audience to surrender to a euphoric dance with the King of Pop Art himself.
An Open Work
Andy Warhol never actually saw all 102 panels of the Shadows portfolio together, according to Philippe Vergne.
Warhol designed each panel to hang side by side but left the order undefined. He neither numbered the prints nor instructed how to arrange them. Consequently, this openness allows every installation to create a new rhythm, giving audiences a different experience each time.
Vergne also said that Warhol “dreamed” of having the Shadows’ works grace the walls of Studio 54, where they would realize their true form as “disco-décor.” Moreover, Warhol used the Shadows works as a backdrop in a fashion photoshoot for his publication, Interview magazine, otherwise known as “The Crystal Ball of Pop.”
The Shadows II Complete Portfolios as Part of Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Although Shadows II strays from Warhol’s usual mass-media imagery, it reflects his interest in repetition and seriality. Each panel shares a common composition but remains distinct. In addition, the sparkling effect of diamond dust connects it other works like Mickey Mouse, Shoes, and Grapes.
The Shadows II complete portfolio includes (FS II.210-215). The greater Shadows print series includes the following portfolios: Shadows I (FS II.204-209), Shadows II (FS II.210-215), Shadows III (FS II.216-221), Shadows IV (FS II.222-223) and Shadows V (FS II.224-225).
Mysterious and enchanting, Shadows mirrors Andy himself: His enigmatic essence and twofold demeanor encompass both darkness and technicolor brilliance.
Photo Credit: Warhol priming Shadow Paintings, 1979. Image and Artwork: © 2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
