Andy Warhol remains one of the highly paid commercial illustrators in New York even, and his screen printed images became synonymous with Pop art. His rise from the obscurity of an immigrant family from Eastern Europe to the circles of High Society and recognition as a fine artist is remarkable (Andy Warhol 2016). The essay selects an artwork of Warhol ” Telephone” and describes the technique used in making this work, focusing on the elements and principles of design and looks for the meaning of the work.Andy Warhol’s Telephone, 1961Acrylic and pencil on canvas
The image of “Telephone” by Andy Warhol shows a clear and crisp image of a black old-fashioned two-piece phone on white background. The dimensions of the artwork are large and stand at 188 cm in e4higth and 142 in width (Telephone 2016).The body of the phone is elongated like a candle stick and stands on a small base, and its bell-shaped mouthpiece faces the viewer. The hand-held earpiece is arranged by the side of the phone in a handle, and one can see the curves of a wire connecting the earpiece to the base of the phone. The artist makes the inside of the head of the phone very clearly, depicting the circular design and those smaller cycles within the mouthpiece. The artist has used acrylic and pencil on canvas to make “Telephone” and adds touches of white on the black body of the phone to show the reflection of light on the object and add realism. The way the artist shows the reflections, it is apparent that light falls on the left-hand side.
The antique phone resembling a “candlestick” remains the one-of-a-kind, original and hand-painted artwork by the artist. The “Telephone” is based on a newspaper advertisement from 1928. The cold and flat application of paint removes any self-expression of the artists. The hand-painted Telephone precedes Warhol’s Factory period (Telephone 2016). He had named his New York studio as Factory to represent, mass production approach to art making and where he earned his fame as a pop artist. The exciting candlestick design that is well over 6 feet tall trembles on the brink of a revolution in art. There is no passion in the commercial artwork, and its expressions remain mute, like a thick black stripe running down the canvas. Still, the telephone cheekily declares an outdated style of communication and creates a nostalgic in a sort. The major Pop artist of the 20th century often made his subject larger-than-life and immortal (Andy Warhol, Telephone 2016). The creative and influential artist is known for showing a beauty within ordinary and everyday objects. This is why he often took familiar objects and in this case the telephone and forces his viewers to look at them closely. The black and white image of trephine done with acrylic and pencil on canvas looks simple and yet arresting. Looking at it today, it reminds one of an essential stepping stone in the history of communication. It makes one think as to how it easy it is to forget our past when one holds smart phone in their hand. Warhol depicted several consumer goods in his artworks that point to the modern conveniences and comforts. The large size of the “Telephone” forces one to stand face to face with a means of communication that has been forgotten and its sheer size forces one to develop an intimate relationship with it. It is impossible to ignore the artwork, those forceful lines of black on white, and eventually one acknowledges its presence and importance. The image of the Telephone faces us with confidence and surety. It seems that Andy Warhol’s “Telephone” is not a one-night-stand but here to stay.
Works Cited
"Andy Warhol." theartstory. 2016. Web. 30 April. 2016.
"Andy Warhol, Telephone, 1961." onekingslane. 2016. Web. 30 April. 2016.
"Telephone." The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. 2016. Web. 30 April. 2016.
