Merce Cunningham I, 1974; Screenprint on Japanese gift wrapping paper; Signed Andy Warhol and numbered 9/100 in pencil verso; Co-published by Multiples Inc. and Castelli Graphics, New York; Size - Sheet 30" x 20"; Catalogue Raisonne: Feldman/Schellmann: II.124; Unframed.
To purchase this work or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!
To purchase this work or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!
"I never wanted to be a painter, I wanted to be a tap dancer." - Andy Warhol
Merce Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer was a leader in field for over 50 years. He is also remembered for his collaboration with other artists in other mediums including: John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg Bruce Nauman, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol.
Merce Cunningham recalls seeing artwork by Andy Warhol: "I was with Jasper Johns at an exhibition and Andy's pillows were just piled in a corner. I immediately thought they would be marvelous on stage because they moved, and they were light, and they took light. So I asked Andy and he said, 'Oh sure.' Some of the pillows were filled with air - they stayed on the floor - but some were filled with helium and they floated. The dancers had to understand the technique of working with them; you had to push, not kick, to get them to float. When we first did "RainForest" they had only one rehearsal with the pillows, and a lot went into the audience."
Close up of the Japanese Flower Gift wrap paper.
The dance performance "RainForest" premiered on March 9, 1968 at the Buffalo State College in New York. The title is a reference to childhood memories that Cunningham had of the Northwest and of the Olympic Peninsula. The dancers wore flesh colored leotards and tights that were cut with a razor blade by Jasper Johns to give the costumes a rougher appearance.
Close up of the Andy Warhol signature and the edition number.
This
is a very rare full figure profile portrait of Merce Cunningham by the great
Pop artist Andy Warhol. The image shows Cunningham wearing tights and leaning forward while balancing a chair behind him. This is a wonderful image of the famed dancer, in a striking and majestic pose. The image has been screened onto a sheet of brightly colored Japanese flower gift wrap paper, which provides a brilliant backdrop that is reminiscent of Cunningham's desire for an artistic background. This work was initially published and sold in order to raise funds for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in New York. This is a beautiful original hand signed work of art by the Pop artist Andy Warhol, and a portrait of one the twentieth century's most influential dancers. A great addition to any art collection!
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