Andy Warhol Trucks F.S. II 368 For Sale

Edition

Edition of 60 plus 15 AP, 10 PP, 15 HC, 5 numbered in Roman Numerals

In June 1986, the German Federal Road Haulage Association (BDF) was set to host the 20th World Congress of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) in Frankfurt am Main. For this significant event, the BDF commissioned Andy Warhol in 1985 to create a series of screenprints featuring a cargo truck. Serving as the intermediary and co-publisher for the project was German art dealer Hermann Wünsche (1941-1993). Wünsche, based in Bonn and later Königswinter, had been a pioneer in introducing Andy Warhol to Germany since 1971.Wünsche, known for his colorful personality, had previously engaged Warhol for notable projects, including a portrait of Willy Brandt in 1976 and later commissions for prominent Germans like Mildred Scheel (1980) and Toni Schumacher (1983). The duo's friendship and collaboration extended beyond the art world, with Wünsche running an exclusive nightclub called Nachtigall in Bonn.The collaboration between Wünsche and Warhol for the truck series was a bold move by the German Federal Road Haulage Association, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach. The truck depicted in the prints, a MAN F8 19.361, was a commonly used lorry in Germany during the 1980s. Presumably, the road hauliers provided the artist with photographs for the project.The choice of a cargo truck as a subject aligned with Warhol's practice of working with everyday objects. After experimentation with lines and colors, the decision was made to produce a set of four prints, each with a different color background (yellow, blue, red, and black). The edition comprised sixty impressions of each color variation, along with a limited number of proofs and 15 hors commerce impressions. The distribution was divided among Hermann Wünsche, the Federal Road Haulage Association, and the International Road Transport Union. This collaboration marked a unique intersection of contemporary art and the world of transportation, showcasing Warhol's ability to infuse everyday subjects with charisma and visual impact.