Created in 1986, Andy Warhol’s *Martha Graham Complete Portfolio* consists of three screen prints: Satyric Festival Song FS. II 387, Lamentation FS. II 388, and Letter to the World (The Kick) FS. II 389. The portfolio pays homage to Martha Graham, a ground-breaking figure often referred to as the mother of modern dance. A true pioneer, Graham was the first dancer to perform at the White House and the founder of the influential Martha Graham Dance Company in New York. Reflecting on her life's devotion to dance, Graham once remarked, “I have spent all my life with dance and being a dancer. It’s permitting life to use you in a very intense way. Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable” (New York Times, 1985). Graham performed professionally from 1929 until her retirement in 1958, and continued to teach and inspire at her company until her death in 1991 at the age of 96.

In this portfolio, Warhol captures the elegance, strength, and emotional depth of Graham’s artistry. Drawing from source photographs by Barbara Morgan — a renowned photographer celebrated for her portraits of modern dancers — Warhol translates the ephemeral beauty of dance into vibrant, lasting images. The portfolio was created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance in New York. Through these works, Warhol not only honors Graham’s revolutionary contributions to the performing arts but also celebrates her extraordinary ability to express profound emotion through movement and physical form.