ANDY WARHOL, PINES BARRENS TREE FROG (F. & S. II. 294), ENDAGERED SPECIES SERIES, SIGNED SCREEN PRINT ON LENOX MUSEUM BOARD, 1983
Commissioned in 1983 by New York gallerists and environmental activists Ronald and Frayda Feldman, Pines Barrens Tree Frog (F. & S. II. 294) is a print by Andy Warhol from his Endangered Species series. It shows a luminous image of the endangered Pines Barren tree frog coloured in bright red, green and yellow, and outlined in white to stand out against the dark background.
Produced to draw attention to the endangered species of the world, this series creates cultural icons of every animal from the Endangered Species Act of 1973, whose kaleidoscopic colours render them impossible to ignore. Telling of his passion for animals and ecological issues, Warhol knowingly used the power of his Pop Art icons and donated a number of these works in the series to raise money and awareness.
The series of ten prints echo one another in Warhol’s use of luminous colours, but at the same time their uniqueness points to the rarity of these animals that are given the ‘star treatment’ by the artist. Depicted like animals in makeup, due to their enhancement with unlikely hues, Warhol references his iconic portrayals of superstars and celebrities like in his Marilyn (1962) and Liz series (1964). Immortalising the image of an endangered animal into a Pop Art icon and elevating the Pines Barrens tree frog to the realm of fine art, Warhol’s print is a permanent reminder of the species’ closeness to extinction.
Find out more about Endangered Species 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
