Edition of 190 with further 30 AP's (artist proofs), 5 PP's (printers proofs), 5 EP's (exhibition proofs), 10 HC's (hors commerce - not for sale), 10 numbered in Roman numerals, 1 BAT (good to print), and 30 TP's (each a unique trial proof). From the portfolio of 10 screenprints.

Blackglama is a screenprint part of Andy Warhol’s 1985 10-part Ads portfolio where Warhol offers his own glamorised and updated renditions of vintage ads from the second half of the 20th century in this series.

In this screenprint, Warhol's mastery of colour is particularly evident as Garland's iconic face pops off the page, immediately drawing your eye towards her, as if she is bathed in the light on a movie set. In addition to the Blackglama logo at the outer edges and a few highlighter-toned line accents, the piece has a distinct Warholian flair, but it also has a weight appropriate to its subject's life and legacy, making it feel more like a memorial poster than a commercial. A simple advert is transformed into an homage to the Judy Garland in a way similar to that of his Marilyn Monroe or Jackie Kennedy series. Her image has the same general shape as the original Blackglama commercial, but the blue tones that surround her colourless skin give it a ghostly, eerie appearance, perhaps symbolising her lost place in popular culture.

In this piece, Warhol is suggesting that Judy Garland is a commodity as much as a glamourous bottle of Chanel or a lowly Life Saver sweet. Ultimately, Warhol highlights the irony of celebrity and materialism by transforming a cinematic icon into a symbol of American consumer culture. Instead of being portrayed as the well-known, doe-eyed girl that captured America's heart in “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), Garland is seen as a maturer, contemplative woman whose brief existence under the harsh movie set lights has made her both a victim and an icon of American popular culture long after her passing.