$50 million for ‘Double Elvis’
Andy Warhol, the undisputed progenitor of pop art and screen-printing, could have another milestone added to his name in May, when his ‘Double Elvis’ is expected to sell for close to US$50 million.
Yet another exploration of the cult of celebrity, ‘Double Elvis – Ferus Type’ is one of many artworks dedicated to the late singer and actor. The first Elvis print is paired with a shadowy double, giving the work a sense of longing and reminiscence. It also shares similarities, and showcases differences, with Warhol’s other work. Instead of garish explosions of colour, typified by his Marilyn Monroe works, the twin Elvises are black and white, and its repetition reflects Warhol’s obsession with screen printing and the mass creation of art that he worked towards.
Warhol’s other Elvis-based works have also made huge impacts on the international art scene, ‘Eight Elvises’ sold in 2008 for $100 million to a private collector, making it one of the most expensive artworks in modern history. Out of the 22 Elvis works, nine are held in art galleries across the world.
‘Double Elvis’ will be exhibited in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and London before going to auction at Sotheby’s, New York, in May.
