Andy Warhol Mobilgas

Silkscreen on paper

38 x 38 inches

The Ads Portfolio, created in 1985 near the end of Warhol's career, signifies a return to what initially made him famous in the 1960s, when he transformed images of everyday products into standalone art. In this series, Warhol appropriates bold logos and the familiar visual language of advertising. Despite their capitalist origins, Warhol saw these brands as potential equalizers within society.

“What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same thing as the poorest”

Warhol's development of a unique personal brand, along with the emergence of Pop art, was a response to the prevailing artistic movement of the era: Abstract Expressionism, which emphasized spontaneous gestures and emotional expression in painting. By appropriating and repeating the imagery of everyday products, Warhol's Ads transformed the commonplace advertising visuals of the 20th century into dynamic works of art.

Some of the key symbols in these iconic advertising campaigns have influenced the collective consciousness for centuries, often appearing in major works of art and literature. For example, the Pegasus motif in the Mobilgas logo traces back to Greek mythology, symbolizing fame and artistic inspiration—fittingly for Warhol. The Apple ad draws on the Biblical symbol of original sin and temptation, filled with subtle messages. The inclusion of the Apple ad in this series was no accident; less than a year earlier, Warhol had met a young Steve Jobs at Yoko Ono’s New York apartment. This meeting between two of the most influential figures of 20th-century culture is recorded in Warhol’s diaries.