The Ohio Gang 1964

R. B. Kitaj created this painting, 'The Ohio Gang', using silkscreen, a process which is anything but traditional. Silkscreening, adopted from industrial printing, allowed artists to create bold, flat areas of color. Look closely, and you'll see how Kitaj exploited this. He combined blocks of color with photographic imagery, creating a collage-like effect, as the painting seems to both advance and recede. Consider how this process democratizes image-making. No longer is painting only about the artist's hand. Silkscreen allows for reproduction, hinting at mass culture and the commodification of art. It also requires specific labor, moving artistic production away from individual expression, and closer to the modes of the factory. In this context, 'The Ohio Gang' isn't just a painting. It's a commentary on production, reproduction, and the changing role of the artist in a world increasingly shaped by industry and its visual language. Kitaj challenges us to rethink our understanding of art by elevating industrial processes.