Orangutan (F. & S. II. 299)
Orangutan (F. & S. II. 299)
Signed Print
Andy Warhol
Screenprint, 1983
Signed Print Edition of 150
H 97cm x W 97cm
Critical Review
Printed in 1983, Orangutan (F. & S. II. 299) is a signed screen print in colour on Lenox Museum Board by Andy Warhol. The print depicts a head and shoulders portrait of an orangutan rendered in yellow and brown against a yellow backdrop. Green and white gestural lines delineate the orangutan against the background and accentuate its sad eyes which stare at the viewer. The orangutan was native to many Asian countries, however due to the expansion of civilization and detrimental environmental factors, today they are only found in Borneo and Sumatra.
Orangutan (F. & S. II. 299) is part of the Endangered Species series commissioned in 1983 by New York gallerists and environmental activists, Ronald and Frayda Feldman. The series is composed of 10 different prints, each depicting a different endangered species. The purpose of the series was to raise awareness for these rare species and raise the viewers’ environmental consciousness. Warhol had a personal connection with the series as he was very interested in nature and concerned with ecological issues. The artist in fact donated a number of these prints to raising funds for causes supporting wildlife.
The print was made using Warhol’s signature screen printing technique and showcases his experimentation with colour and dynamic lines. By depicting the orangutan in this way, Warhol transforms the animal into an icon of 20th century Pop Art. In doing so, Warhol demands the viewer looks at the image and thinks about the threat posed to species like the orangutan who are in danger of extinction because of humanity’s selfish behaviour.
