Electric Chair (Red)
Andy Warhol
1964/21st century
Andy Warhol was an avid collector. His New York home was filled with objects that inspired and intrigued him. He collected both American folk art and Art Deco silver. The artist was also interested in the theme of death and collected related material through print media. In 1963, Warhol began the series Death and Disaster. It was a series of paintings of death and disaster, which used magazine and newspaper images as source material, as well as police and press photos of suicides, car accidents and other accidents. The theme of death is also strongly present in various works depicting electric chairs. Warhol claimed that constantly seeing gruesome photos in the media makes one numb to them. Life and death are eternal themes, but execution is a very controversial topic.
Andy Warhol oli kirglik kollektsionäär. Tema New Yorgi kodu oli täis esemeid, mis teda inspireerisid ja intrigeerisid. Ta kogus nii Ameerika rahvakunsti kui ka Art Deco hõbedat Kunstnikku huvitas ka surma teema ja ta kogus sellega seonduvat trükimeedia kaudu. 1963. aastal alustas Warhol seeriaga “Death and Disaster”. Tegemist oli surma ja katastroofi maalide seeriaga, mis kasutas lähtematerjalina ajakirjade ja ajalehtede pilte ning politsei- ja ajakirjandusfotosid enesetappudest, autoõnnetustest ja teistest õnnetustest. Surma teema on jõuliselt kohal ka erinevates elektritoole kujutavates teostes. Warhol väitis, et meedias pidevalt õudsete fotode nägemine muudab nende suhtes tuimaks. Elu ja surm on igavikulised teemad, ent hukkamine vägagi vastuoluline teema.
