In June 1990, Roy Lichtenstein began work at Saff Tech Arts on the bas-relief RLCR 3989, Suspended Mobile (published 1991) and a related series of six metal prints. The Saff Tech Arts prints showcase Lichtenstein's investment in mirrors and reflections: first seen in Look Mickey (1961) and later developed in his Mirror paintings. Thematically, the series also reinterprets Claude Monet’s iconic Giverny landscapes through a Pop Art lens, resonating with motifs in the earlier Cathedral and Haystack series of 1969.
Informed by the metallic dashboards of 1920s–30s automobiles, Lichtenstein produced individual swirl patterns with a suspended drill press. Sign painter’s enamel was screenprinted onto metal to create a multilayered, reflective surface, and Lichtenstein designed the original frames. The glistening of light and color, depending on the viewer’s angle and movements, adds to the series' appeal for collectors.
Water Lilies – Blue Lily Pads, 1992.Screenprinted enamel on processed and swirled stainless steel, with painted and routered relief wood frame. 110.5 x 97.8 cm (framed).Edition of 23; plus 1 BAT, 6 AP, 3 PP, 3 Presentation Proofs, 1 NGA archive proof, 2 STA.©Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
