ANDY WARHOL, EDWARD KENNEDY (F. & S. II.240), SCREEN PRINT IN COLOURS WITH DIAMOND DUST, 1980
Andy Warhol’s print Edward Kennedy (F. & S. II.240) shows a black and white portrait of the Democratic presidential candidate Edward ‘Ted’ Kennedy. Created to raise funds for Edward ‘Ted’ Kennedy’s 1980 presidential campaign, this portrait is indicative of Warhol’s philanthropic activities and his continued fascination with the Kennedy family.
Unlike earlier portraits of John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy that were appropriated from mass-media images, this image of Edward Kennedy is based on a Polaroid photo taken by Warhol himself. The artist retains much of the original quality of the photograph and does not abstract the image with blocks of colour, as he does with many other celebrity portraits.Through using his traditional screen printing method, Warhol succeeds in creating a grainy quality to the image that is reminiscent of mass media imagery. This portrait is one of only two prints that Warhol created of the politician and left largely untouched in black and white, shows a sympathetic portrayal.
Warhol adds to the image with his trademark hand-drawn lines that render Kennedy into a Pop Art figure, using red and blue against the black and white photograph. This incorporation of colour works to invoke a sense of patriotism in its suggestion of the American flag, whilst the outlines also work to enhance Kennedy’s facial features.
ABOUT ANDY WARHOL
Andy Warhol (born Andrew Warhola) is a name synonymous with the celebrity culture and mass consumerism which coloured the boulevards of New York City in the Post World War II era. Born into a working class immigrant family in the urban landscape around the bustling metropolis, Warhol’s early life was characterised by a climb up the capitalist rungs of society.
The artist himself noted, “buying is more American than thinking, and I’m as American as they come”, this quote came to demarcate Warhol’s artistic practice as he embraced the commodification of the American Dream. The Pop artist’s beginnings in the business sector gave him the practical skill set to experiment with a more commercial approach to art throughout his career, particularly with regards to screen printing. Read more about Andy Warhol.
