Painting in Gold Frame from ‘Paintings’ 1983 - 1984

Editor: Here we have Roy Lichtenstein's ‘Painting in Gold Frame' from his "Paintings" series. It's a screenprint of brushstrokes contained by a very graphic gold frame. What strikes me is the contrast between the simulated brushstrokes and the manufactured look of the print. What do you make of it? Curator: The 'Paintings' series is interesting in how it engages with ideas about mass production and consumption. Lichtenstein is using the silkscreen process, traditionally used for commercial printing, to create what appears to be an Abstract Expressionist painting, further questioning the boundaries between fine art and commodity. Editor: So, the means of production is key to understanding his work? Curator: Precisely. The materials and processes he employs challenge traditional hierarchies within the art world, forcing us to think about labor and value. I wonder what implications Lichtenstein's artistic choices might have for our understanding of art's role in a consumerist society. Editor: I never thought of it that way! Thanks for helping me understand it better. Curator: My pleasure, it is a complex and rich piece of work.