Warhol once remarked, ‘I always notice flowers.'
Kiku is a fascinating series that focuses on the chrysanthemum flower, Kiku in Japanese. Warhol created 300 screenprint portfolios with three prints in each portfolio. Commissioned by Fujio Watanuki, the works were made in a uniquely small scale in order to suit the conventional size of Japanese living spaces.
Andy Warhol visited Japan for the first time in 1956 on a trip around the world, before returning in 1974 for a solo exhibition at the Daimaru Department Store. In 1983, Watanuki, a longstanding supporter of the Japanese avant-garde and founder of the Gendai Hanga Center in Tokyo, invited Warhol to create a new body of work inspired by Japanese flowers: Kiku.
As well as representing longevity, rejuvenation and the autumn season, the chrysanthemum is the traditional symbol of the Japanese Emperor or Imperial House and can be found on Japanese passports.
This body of work demonstrates the global influence of Warhol and his popularity with Japanese collectors. In Kiku the artist appealed directly to his audience with his subject matter. These bold yet delicate images are luminescent examples of his skill as a printmaker and colourist.
With Kiku, Warhol produced a stunning set of images that are striking in their elegance. Characterised by crisp vivid colour and layered forms, the portfolio retains its dynamism and impact even 35 years after its creation. Combining both abstraction and a naturalism that describes the flower’s form, the Kiku series is a poetic representation of a flower, layered with symbolic meaning.
Kiku also beautifully demonstrates Warhol’s ability to observe and represent the world around him in new and exciting ways.
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