ANDY WARHOL, LIFE SAVERS (F. & S. II. 353), ADS SERIES, SCREEN PRINT IN COLOURS ON LENOX MUSEUM BOARD, 1985
Life Savers (F. & S. II. 353) is a print by Andy Warhol from his Ads series (1985) that shows a reworking of an advertisement image for the American brand of ring-shaped hard candy Life Savers. Taken directly from a magazine advertisement, this print characterises Warhol’s obsession with mass-media and American consumerism, celebrated through the use of vivid technicolour.
Working within an aesthetic of nostalgia, appropriating imagery from the 1950s, Warhol successfully memorialises this iconic candy of the 20th century into a piece of Pop Art that marks as a reminder of childhood. Warhol uses his distinct late graphic style to form uniquecolour combinations in the image, adding multicoloured crayon-like lines to contour the rows of candy present, all set against a vivid pink backdrop.
Serving as a focal point, Warhol emphasises the neon slogan placed beneath the rows of candy that reads ‘Please do not lick this page!’. This works to produce a multisensory and playful effect that both captures the efficacy of advertising and mocks it by highlighting the artificiality of the image. The slogan also refers to the way in which the beginning of mass-advertisements in the 1950s and 60s created a culture of the need for immediate consumption. By using vibrant colours and texture, Warhol produces an image where the Life Savers protrude from the page itself, begging the viewer to buy a packet.
Read more about Ads by Andy Warhol
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.
