Sold for: $49,250

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, British Columbia

LITERATURE
Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellman, editors, Andy Warhol Prints: A Catalogue Raisonné 1962 - 1987, 2003, reproduced page 181, catalogue #IIB.236

William Hechter, a Canadian art and film enthusiast among many other things, was the publisher, along with Andy Warhol, of this iconic portrait of prima ballerina Karen Kain. Hechter was keen to work with Warhol and was compelled to present the idea of a Canadian subject—a first for the artist. Crediting his wife with the proposal of Kain, he explained that convincing the artist was as simple as picking up the phone and dialing Warhol’s number at the Factory. “He said he’d love to do it,” explained Hechter, “and then I thought I’d better call Karen and ask her!” Warhol spoke of a recent party where he danced with Kain, and he thought the idea was terrific. The rest is history—Hechter and Kain flew to New York to meet Warhol in his studio, where he photographed her with very little lighting, using his legendary Polaroid camera. Once the final image was chosen, Warhol and Hechter together published a series of 200 screenprints.

Karen Kain was published in an edition of 200, 30 AP, 5 PP, and 25 TP by William Hechter, Toronto, and printed in New York by Rupert Jasen Smith.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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