The Shadows II Complete Portfolio by Andy Warhol is a 1979 collection of larger-than-life works where a natural, everyday occurrence becomes a Warholian wonder. The Shadows series was commissioned by the Dia Art Foundation and was first exhibited at the Heiner Freidrich Gallery in New York, also in 1979. Printed by “master” printer of Warhol’s later years, Rupert Jasen Smith, Shadows II is one part of five subdivisions of Warhol’s larger Shadows collection. In total, the Shadows portfolio comprises 102 individual works that Warhol designed to be installed as one continuous piece. Although his take on Shadows is still coated in his resplendent style (and diamond dust), the series distinctly diverges from his fascination with fame and fortune and instead shines a spotlight on a routinely unnoticed phenomenon.
The Shadows II prints encompass sizable, deep, and colorful images reminiscent of experimental filmstrips, conjuring the ambiance of Andy Warhol’s avant-garde cinema era and the resonating hum of The Velvet Underground, the artist’s 1960s punk band project. When Warhol’s Shadows prints were released, the artist’s vibrant portraits of notable figures like Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor had already become recognizable faces of the Pop Art style. The quantity and scale of the Shadows prints embody Warhol’s principles of the Pop movement, mimicking the “bigger is better” mentality that swept America after World War II.
As described by the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Philippe Vergne, Warhol’s Shadows is “the line between the American dream and the American death. They are as dark as they are glamorous.” Originally conceived as room decoration, Andy referred to Shadows as “disco-décor” owing to the alluring chromatic interplay of dark values and kaleidoscopic, vivid hues of light fit for the club. The large scale and vague form Warhol used in Shadows engenders 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. Shadows is mysterious and enchanting, much like Andy himself, an accidental parallel embodying his enigmatic essence and twofold demeanor encompassing both dark and technicolor brilliance.
Andy Warhol never actually saw all 102 panels of the Shadows portfolio together, according to Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) director Philippe Vergne. While Warhol created each individual panel to be hung side-by-side, the artist left the hanging order of the works entirely open, giving no instructions nor numbering them to indicate the order in which they should be hung. This idea evokes a new concept that is not seen in any of Warhol’s other works, as most of his pieces—although they are organized into portfolios—can stand alone. Leaving room for play with his vision for Shadows, Andy allowed viewers to have a new, more personal experience each time the panels were installed. 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
Andy Warhol is well known for his images of popular culture and the repetition of those images. Although Shadows II 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 uniqueness. Unlike many of his other works, the various pieces of Shadows are fully appreciated when all are shown in unison. The sparkling effect of diamond dust can be seen in other works like Warhol’s 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).
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.
