Flowers 67 (Flowers Portfolio)
Screen print on paper
91 x 91 cm
Not For Sale
Andy Warhol’s Flowers 67, 1970 is part of Andy Warhol’s Flowers portfolio. The lilac, canary yellow, and tangerine flowers immediately capturing the attention of the viewer. The grass they stand out against creates a high-contrast environment, as the thin blades of chartreuse grass emerge from a dark black, pushing the grass and flowers into the foreground. Warhol’s Flowers 67 is dynamic and stunning, an incredible work in Andy Warhol’s Flowers portfolio. Andy Warhol’s Flowers is based on a photo by Patricia Caulfield that appeared in the June 1967 issue of the magazine Popular Photography. The original image was cropped and the colors inverted before Warhol added washes of vibrant dyes to the flower petals by hand. The flowers depicted are hibiscus flowers, specifically the mandrinette. Flowers is often viewed as a departure from Warhol’s typical work, which is known for centering around celebrities and well-known brands. The original image was not particularly famous before his appropriation of it, and the floral subject matter is not particularly related to pop culture or commercialism. However, flowers are a subject that Warhol continually revisits in his oeuvre. His work with advertisements are made powerful due to their contexts, but flowers are timeless. This is undoubtedly a reason why the Flowers series remains one of Warhol’s most popular portfolios.