Paul Stephenson | After Warhol 2021

Paul Stephenson | After Warhol 2021

ONE OF WARHOL’S MOST ICONIC AND INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE GRAPHICS, THE COW WAS ORIGINALLY CHOSEN BY HIS ASSISTANT, GERARD MALANGA, UPON THE ADVICE OF THE AMERICAN POP ART DEALER IVAN KARP. THE PAIR EXPERIMENTED WITH VIBRANT AND UNEXPECTED NEON COLOURWAYS, WHICH PAUL STEPHENSON HAS PAINSTAKINGLY RECREATED USING THE ARTIST’S ORIGINAL ACETATE. Between 1966 and 1976, the cows were created as wallpapers for Warhol’s exhibitions. For his 1966 show at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York, a single room was adorned from floor to ceiling with the fluorescent pink and yellow colourway. Transcending decorative and artistic genres, these wallpapers – which Karp described as “blazingly bright and vulgar” – were displayed in institutes such as the Whitney Museum in New York and the Modern Art Pavilion in Seattle. Here, visitors were surrounded by the striking simplicity of the repeated imagery, which signified Warhol’s unique take on commercialisation and mass production. Single cows were sometimes spliced from the wallpaper and signed by Warhol, who used this image to subvert the timelessness of the pastoral subject and wryly comment on the use of fine art as wallpaper in people’s homes. The humorous colour scheme lends the artworks a feeling of excitement, which inspired Paul to create this collection during a time of anxiety and uncertainty. Intended to bring viewers hope and laughter, the silkscreens on paper each relate to a specific Warhol exhibition, giving them a place in the narrative of art history. ANDY WARHOL: COW “It’s a typical, mischievous Warhol idea: taking something ‘fine art’ and making it something that’s just a background, but actually also an incredible, iconic Pop image.” – Paul Stephenson

PAUL STEPHENSON

RARELY HAS SUCH A FAITHFUL RENDERING OF AN ARTIST’S METHODOLOGY BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH THE RIGOUR AND DILIGENCE THAT WE SEE IN AFTER WARHOL. PAUL STEPHENSON’S ODYSSEY INTO THE WORLD OF WARHOL BEGAN IN 2010 WHEN HE PURCHASED A COLLECTION OF THE ARTIST’S ORIGINAL ACETATES. HIS ENSUING COLLECTION – CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH ONE OF WARHOL’S ORIGINAL MASTER PRINTERS, ALEXANDER HEINRICI – HAS BEEN LAUDED BY THE BBC, VICE MAGAZINE AND THE SUNDAY TIMES. THE STORY The story of how these ar tworks came to exist is a fascinating one. It begins with a chance discovery at an auction of Warhol’s original acetates, the negatives that Andy Warhol used to make his paintings from the 1960s until his death. Although Paul did not realise it at the time these acetates were a key par t of Warhol’s ar t making process. This is because of Warhol’s revolutionary ‘ar t by telephone’ approach; because Warhol attempted to remove ‘the hand of the ar tist’ from making ar t these hand embellished acetates were of ten the last point that Warhol physically changed his ar tworks. It is easiest to think of them as very similar to a photographer’s negatives.

COW II Hand-Pulled Silkscreen on Paper Image Size 30” x 46” | Framed Size 34” x 50” Framed £2,950 / Edition of 80

COW I Hand-Pulled Silkscreen on Paper Image Size 30” x 46” | Framed Size 34” x 50” Framed £2,950 / Edition of 80

COW III Hand-Pulled Silkscreen on Paper Image Size 30” x 46” | Framed Size 34” x 50” Framed £2,950 / Edition of 80

COW IV Hand-Pulled Silkscreen on Paper Image Size 30” x 46” | Framed Size 34” x 50” Framed £2,950 / Edition of 80

ALL ABOUT SILKSCREEN PRINTING

What is silkscreen printing? Also known as silk-screening or serigraphy, silkscreen printing involves using a tightly- stretched mesh or screen (hence the name!). The f irst step is to mount the silkscreens over your chosen canvas, with a separate screen for each colour. Once the screens or stencils are in place, ar tists roll, press, sponge or squeegee their ink or paint over the silkscreens to leave a negative design. Where does the technique come from? Silkscreens are believed to have originated in China as far back as 1000 years ago. The technique was introduced to Western Europe by Asia in the late 18th century, but was not widely used until silk mesh became easier to get hold of. In the 20th century, pop ar tist Andy Warhol brought silkscreens to the forefront of contemporary ar t through his legendary Marilyn Monroe prints. Throughout this time, screenprinting techniques had been considered trade secrets and were kept conf idential. Many regarded the ar t form with scepticism, as the reliance on a machine questioned the typical view of ar t creation as direct contact between the ar tist and medium. What makes it so special? It’s a painstaking process that can take days and even weeks. As it’s done by hand by a skilled craf tsman, each piece is unique. The ink in silkscreen printing is also of ten thicker, resulting in more vibrant colours.

“…they’re so wonderfully

pastoral and such a durable image in the history of the arts.” – Ivan Karp, art dealer and author

COWS I-IV SET OF FOUR Hand-Pulled Silkscreen on Paper Image Size 30” x 46” Framed Size 34” x 50” Edition of 80 Unframed £8,950 / Framed £10,950

THE MAKING OF AFTER WARHOL “It has been a privilege to have collaborated with Alexander. The last ten years have been like an apprenticeship, and I’ve accessed a box of secrets of what it was like to work alongside Andy Warhol. I’ve absorbed all I can from someone who was there originally, and it’s fantastic that he could inform my artistic process.” – Paul Stephenson

2020 SILKSCREEN ON PAPER EDITIONS

This collection was the f irst time that Paul produced works on paper for Castle Fine Ar t, and it is absolutely in keeping with Warhol’s philosophy. Dubbed ‘posthumous Warhols’ by the world’s leading Warholian authority, Rainer Crone, this collection was printed in New York by the Pop Ar t founder’s original screen printer, Alexander Heinrici, and were lauded by the BBC, VICE Magazine and The Sunday Times. This spectacular set of 16 ar tworks includes Paul’s transformations of four of Andy Warhol’s most iconic works: ‘Jackie’ (1964), ‘Mao’ (1973), ‘Electric Chair’ (1964) and ‘Self-Por trait’ (1964). Each of Paul’s versions is presented in four dif ferent colourways.

UNFRAMED - £24,000 FRAMED - £29,950

Artworks also available individually and as hand-pulled silkscreens on linen. If you have any questions about a particular piece, please get in touch.

The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2021. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission. washingtongreen.co.uk