Andy Warhol Electric Chairs, 1971 FS II.82 is an overexposed portrait of New York's Sing Sing Penitentiary's electric chair, known as "Old Sparky." Warhol chooses hot pink and warm yellow to portray the electric chair, in the negative, with lights and darks switched. The bright and punchy color scheme clashes with the serious nature of the subject of the print. Warhol was known for juxtaposing serious societal issues with light artistic choices. In 1972, the death penalty was banned by the federal government and the subject was under intense debate throughout the country. A few years prior, Warhol began to explore artistic themes like death and violence after his near death experience from a gunshot wound, inflicted by Valerie Solanas in 1968. The Electric Chairs portfolio present an interesting combination of Warhol's personal thematic exploration and his own social and political commentary.

Created in 1971, this work is a screenprint on paper, hand signed by Andy Warhol in ball-point pen on verso.  Numbered from an edition of 250, dated '71 in ball-point and numbered with a rubber stamp on verso, aside from 50 Artist Proofs numbered in Roman numerals, signed and dated in ball-point pen on verso and stamped 'AP' and numbered with a rubber stamp on verso.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Andy Warhol Electric Chairs, 1971 FS II.82 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonné and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Feldman, Frayda and Jörg Schellmann, A Catalogue Raisonne, 4th ed. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. II.82.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Andy Warhol Electric Chairs, 1971 FS II.82 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.