Referred to by The New York Times as “Andy Warhol’s most important associate” in 1992, Gerard Malanga was the artist’s main assistant, Factory muse, and star from 1963 to 1970. During this period, he was involved in all phases of Warhol’s creative endeavors across disciplines, from screenprinting to filmmaking, and is credited with bringing many important source images to Warhol’s attention.
Malanga’s history of uncovering source material for Warhol is apparent in Thermofax, as these prints recall similar images of car crashes and electric chairs that Warhol appropriated in his 1962-1965 Death and Disasters series.
Andy Warhol, White Disaster (White Car Crash 19 Times), 1963. Artwork: © 2023 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York A multidisciplinary artist in his own right, the final print of the portfolio is accompanied by a poem by Malanga which alludes to a car crash, perhaps inspired by the tragic scenes illustrated in this print set.
Slowly the clouds came into focus and moving in so
that of the sky only searchlights remain.
There was no time to heed the road
signs the cross signals everything submerged in the trees.
Winter brushes the shackle. Those hills,
those trees know not the flame of the cough.
Day continually she seemed to
and so we are let out of the hox of wind
like a limp body draped over the car
door smashed open
the sharp turn the twilight of speed.
The coat freshly bloodied.
The day is warm and fuzzy and beside the burn in our throats,
no blankets are here, no limit to what the soft
shoulder witnessed and so the vacation stays
close to the future and living.
The postcard arrives entity the end is in sight
and tomorrow comes and we will forget.
111
Thermofax
2008
The complete set of eight hand-pulled Thermofax prints, on thin wove paper (original 1968 paper), with full margins.
all I. various sizes
all S. 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm)
All signed and one numbered 3/15 in black ink (there were also 5 artist proofs), published by Dagon James, New York, all unframed.
Estimate
$2,000 - 3,000
212 940 1220
Editions & Works on Paper: Online Auction
6 - 13 September 2023
