One of the most iconic series of art history, Campbell's Soup Cans, Set I – (1968) was a key work in Warhol’s contribution to the formation of the phenomenon of Pop Art. First shown at Ferus Gallery, Los Angeles, in 1962, the theme of the Campbell Soup Cans has become one of the most recognisable images ever, and is arguably the Manifesto of Pop Art.
This series of screen-prints exemplifies Warhol’s conceptualisation of Pop: the artist’s fascination with logos, fame and visibility is reflected in the multiplication of a work which is, itself, a reproduction of an example of mass-produced food packaging.
Ultimately an optimistic and celebratory statement regarding modernity, Warhol employed the Campbell Soup Can theme in contrast to Abstract Expressionism’s more negative message.
Furthermore, a parallel can be drawn between representations throughout history: where a still life by Cézanne is still involved with the retinal, Warhol concentrates on the conceptual content of the image, and its implications.
