Andy Warhol “saves” 10 endangered species

In 1983 Longtime Warhol Collaborators and gallery owners Ronal and Frayda Feldman brought the idea of an “Endangered Species” project to Andy Warhol. Warhol owned a beachside in the 80’s in Montauk. A conversation that started out about beach erosion ended with general ecological concern. The Feldman’s agreed to publish a portfolio if Andy Warhol would produce one.

The portfolio itself and the species it represents where all chosen by Andy Warhol. While incredibly liberal in soliciting ideas and even adopting them once he decided to produce a piece regardless of medium steering that idea was always Andy’s prerogative. He was notorious for allowing even insisting that assistants chose colors and collaborate on the evolution of an idea. But the birth and direction of that idea were always Andy Warhol’s.

In the eighties, Warhol was very commercial. His time commanded significant price tags, and typically his staff made sure he was paid for his efforts. So it is notable that he donated many of the works from this series to various museums. He also re-visited the topic and illustrated the book “Vanishing Animals” by Kurt Benirschke. The revenue realized by these projects was donated to save the endangered species they represented.

Collectors Details | Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species Portfolio

PUBLISHER: Ronald Feldman Fine Arts Inc. New York, New York.

Medium – Screen Print On Lenox Museum Board

Year – 1983

Size – 38×38

DESCRIPTION: 10 silkscreened images of the following species: Black Rhinoceros, Orangutan, Bighorn Ram, Giant Panda, Grevy’s Zebra, San Francisco Silverspot, Siberian Tiger, Bald Eagle, Pine Barrens Tree Frog, African Elephant

Production Quantity and Type: Details: Edition of 150, 30 Artists Prints (AP), 5 Printer Proofs (PP), 5 Exhibition proofs (EP), 3 Hors Commerce (HC), 10 numbered in Roman numerals, 1 BAT, 30 Trial Proofs (TP), signed and numbered in pencil. Portfolio of 10.

Related Production Details: Warhol almost immediately donated some of this series. According to the Catalogue Raisonne, this portfolio is on display Museum of Natural History in New York and many other natural history museums around the world.

Andy Warhol Quotes about Animals

 
“I admit to having worn suede and leather pants myself for a while, but you just never feel clean, and it’s degenerate, anyway, to wear animal skins…so I went back to blue jeans after my degenerate period.”