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Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.131)
“I’m fascinated by boys who spend their lives trying to be complete girls, because they have to work so hard - double-time - getting rid of all the tell-tale male signs and drawing in all the female signs… It’s hard work to look like the complete opposite of what nature made you and then to be an imitation woman of what was only a fantasy woman in the first place.” Andy Warhol
Commissioned by Italian art dealer Luciano Anselmino, Andy Warhol was tasked with creating a collection of ‘impersonal’ and ‘anonymous’ photographs of ‘transvestites’. When commissioned, Anselmino specified that the muses were not to be high profile members of the gay community, or women that strongly resembled cisgender women. This anonymity was held until 2014, when the Andy Warhol foundation released the identities of 13/14 of the sitters. Thus, the Ladies and Gentlemen portfolio was born, published in 1975. 1970’s New York was a city of liberation and progression, where the gay and transgender community felt empowered by their identity. However, at this time gay rights were still an issue to be fought for, as many from this community experienced prejudice and discrimination on a daily basis. However, Warhol’s portfolio offers a spotlight on an often-unnoticed community, presenting these women as glamorous, sophisticated and powerful.
The sitter in this screenprint has been identified as ‘Iris’ by Corey Tippin, a friend of Warhol who knew her by name, although very little is actually known about her. Despite a remainder of anonymity with the sitter, her presence and character are felt strongly through the screenprint. The sitter is photographed from the side, as she tilts her head up, revealing sculpted cheekbones. Blocks of colour, of teal, brown and purple are transposed over her face and body, that are reminiscent of a collage. A block of purple across her eye draw attention to her long, feminine eyelashes, as well as a tinge of peach over her lips, acting further as a marker of femininity. The contrast between the photographic realism of the screenprint with the unrealistic colours adds an interesting conversation between ideas of reality, fantasy, and performance, and emphasises the multi-faceted identity of these sitters.
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