Electric chairs, from the serie Death and Disaster, 1971
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
46 x 35 in. 
Edition 111/250
Publisher: Bruno Bischofberger, Zurich.
Edition Bischofberger Zurich.
Printed by Silkprint Kettner
Signed by pen on the back. 
Stamp of the Edition Bischofberger Zurich.
 
Additional Information:
Andy Warhol's Electric Chairs, a collection of ten distinct depictions of electric chairs, was published in 1971. Warhol's artistic approach often involves taking objects with specific meanings, isolating, abstracting, and repeating them, a technique he employs consistently in his body of work. In the Electric Chair complete portfolio, the focus shifts away from the chair's original purpose and significance, becoming more about the image itself and the interplay of colors within it. Remarkably, Electric Chairs holds a place among Warhol's ten most valuable portfolios ever.
Among Warhol's most renowned series is the Death and Disaster collection, where he delved into media-sourced images of plane crashes, suicides, and car accidents. These works are particularly contentious and thought-provoking, adding a darker dimension to his art. In 1963, the year when New York State conducted its final two executions at Sing Sing Penitentiary, Warhol first introduced the electric chair image into his art. Capital punishment became a compelling and controversial political theme he explored in his work at that time, sparking intense debates and discussions.