Self-Portrait 1966

This is a self-portrait by Andy Warhol, and it's got that signature screen-printed, pop art vibe, right? I love how Warhol uses flat blocks of color—the red of his face against the blue background—to create this bold, graphic image. The texture looks smooth, almost like it's been mechanically reproduced, which, of course, it has. It’s like he's inviting us to think about mass production and the idea of the artist as a brand. Notice the shadows and the way the colors create this sort of eerie glow. That finger to his lips, shushing us. What’s that about? Is he keeping secrets, or is he asking us to keep his? Like a lot of good art, it keeps you guessing, doesn’t it? Think of someone like Elizabeth Peyton, playing with celebrity portraits too, and the way images circulate, morph, and take on new meanings. Art is a conversation, and Warhol started a pretty noisy one with this piece.