Grevy’s Zebra by Andy Warhol, Part of the Endangered Species Series

Though much of Andy Warhol’s work—especially that which centers around celebrity, fame, and the access that comes with those constructs—is celebrated for its self-indulgence, the artist was, behind closed doors, a conservationist deeply concerned about the impact of modern human activity on the natural world around us. 

As such, and after particular conversations about his concerns with New York art dealers Ronald and Frayda Feldman, in 1983 Warhol set out to memorialize and commemorate animals that were included on the endangered species list, eventually creating his Endangered Species series. The series consisted of 10 screenprints that highlighted endangered species from around the globe: the Siberian Tiger, an Orangutan, a Pine Barren Tree Frog, the Giant Panda, the Bald Eagle, the African Elephant and more. 

One such piece from this burst of Warhol’s more activist-oriented period depicts the Grevy’s Zebra. These beasts, also known as Imperial Zebras, are the largest living equids found in the wild and—even in 2019—remain the most endangered of the three zebra species, the other two of which are the plains and mountain zebras. 

Andy Warhol, Grevy’s Zebra, from Endangered Species Series, 1983

Silkscreen, Unsigned & Unnumbered
Very Good / Excellent Condition
Provenance: Private Collection, New York
$1,900
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In all of the silkscreens of endangered animals, Warhol manipulated photographs of the at-risk species in a style similar to his works of various celebrities’ visages, and then applied a layer of vibrant color blocks and illustrated lines on top of the original images in order to create dynamic contrasts between reality and art. In turn, Warhol created surreal artistic representations of the immortalized species that could last the tests of time—even if the species being depicted might, unfortunately, not. 

Edward Kurstak Gallery is proud to offer one of these unique silkscreens of Andy Warhol’s Grevy’s Zebra for sale at an unbeatable price. Though the piece is unsigned and unnumbered, we do have record of provenance from a private collection in New York and are thereby fully confident in our ability to verify its authenticity.