Era-Defining and Accessible: The Collectability of Fine Art Prints

The Printmaking Pioneer 

Pop Artist Andy Warhol began experimenting with silkscreen printing in 1962. Reproductions of images he had appropriated from popular culture, his prints not only brought art to the masses – they also acted as a commentary on the sociopolitical climate of the time. Best known for his works featuring stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor – a signed, numbered lithograph of his seminal work Liz from 1964 is showcased in the exhibition – he also created works featuring Chairman Mao, John F. Kennedy and Nixon, using art to express deeper political statements.

Other artists followed suit, creating powerful works of art that held a mirror up the world around them, including New York’s Keith Haring. An activist as well as an artist, Haring created posters, murals and prints to highlight a wide range of causes, with his 1983 work Fertility Suite a commentary on the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in Africa.Periods of volatility, like the one we are experiencing right now, have historically resulted in strong artistic movements, with Banksy, Bob and Roberta Smith, Shepard Fairey and Guerrilla Girls among the artists who are using the medium of print as a means of getting their voices heard.

Browse Keith Haring's Fertility Suite 

The Market for Warhol Prints

As well as creating a fertile environment in which to create, there are also benefits to investing in art during times of turmoil. Richard Polsky, founder of Richard Polsky Art Authentication and a leading expert on Andy Warhol, was recently featured in ArtTactic’s podcast discussing how Warhol’s art is one of the safest places to invest when traditional assets are softening. 

In the past 12 months at Maddox, we have seen first-hand how the Warhol print market has exploded (alongside that of his peers Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein). In the podcast, Polsky points out that the print market for Warhol – arguably the most famous artist of the past 100 years – presents a real opportunity for collectors, especially if they stick to the classics. 

He also makes a very good point that is often overlooked when discussing fine art prints. These are not mass-produced posters or digital giclée prints. Warhol used the same printmaking techniques for his prints as he did for his paintings. The only difference is the material they were printed on: paper or canvas.

Explore works by Andy Warhol

Banksy: A Collector Favourite

Heir to Warhol’s crown as king of printmaking is, of course, Banksy. A way of creating art more quickly, he began printmaking to make his art more accessible to the public and in so doing produced some of the most widely recognised artworks of the 21st century. His most-famous print, Girl with Balloon – which originally appeared as a series of stencil murals around London – is among the highlights of “The Art of Printmaking”, alongside his signature rats, monkeys and policemen critiquing everything from capitalism to consumerism. 

View available works by Banksy

The New Guard of Printmaking Provocateurs

From the wryly humerous musings of David Shrigley to Russell Young’s gorgeous capsules of aesthetic perfection, a new guard of artists continues to explore the possibilities of printmaking to dazzling effect. Quite literally in the case of Russell Young, who has dusted portraits of some of the 20th century’s most glamorous icons in diamonds, electrifying the vivid colours beneath. 

 Young’s approach to printmaking is meticulous and refined, with the artist scouring the world – the Egyptian desert; the vaults of Florence; the mountains of California – for rare pigments to create his seductive colour palette. With his silk-screen prints on linen, he has created a glittering vision of celebrity that is alive and alluring. There is no doubt the future of printmaking is in very good hands. 

 Discover Russell Young´s diamond-dusted portraits

A Gateway into the World of Art Investment

According to ArtTactic, 47.3% of lots sold at auction between 2015 and 2022 were prints and editions making this the fastest-growing sector of the art market. The fact that the average sale price of prints sold at auction increased by more than 30% in 2022 is good news for investors, too, highlighting the potential to make a profit in the longer term. 

Combining affordability with recognisable styles and iconography, prints appeal because they make it possible to access some of the most famous names in the art world at an accessible price point. 

Whether you are keen to secure a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin print like the one that prompted some heated bidding at an auction of art and design in Los Angeles recently or are interested in finding out more about art as an investment opportunity, “The Art of Printmaking” is the perfect introduction for budding investors, as well as an opportunity to invest in a piece of art history by some of the most collectable names in Contemporary art. 

Browse Available Pumpkin Prints by Yayoi Kusama